from Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies

Smart Countries, Foolish Choices

A CGS Working Paper

April 7, 2008

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Overview

Intuition tells us that oil-rich countries are not friendly to the United States, and that entreprenurial—or “smart”—countries are not endowed with oil.

Amity Shlaes

Former Hayek Senior Fellow for Political Economy

Gaurav Tiwari

In this Center for Geoeconomic Studies Working Paper, the authors find a triangular relationship between oil wealth, entrepreneurial spirit, and friendliness to the United States. They confirm the idea that “oily” countries are not U.S.-friendly, in contrast to smart countries, which are friendly to the United States and do not have oil. The authors conclude that it is in the U.S. interest to support education and economic diversification in petro-states so those states can become more entrepreneurial and friendly.

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