The globalization of resource rich countries: Curse or blessing?

Resource rich countries have a low incentive to join international organizations (IOs) because they do not need IOs as a forum to attract foreign investors or to seek access to foreign markets (Voeten and Ross, 2011). An increasing number of IOs, however, has been created by resource rich countries or have resource rich countries as members. In addition to economic reasons, what explains resource rich countries' behavior to engage in globalization and to enter into IOs? Basing upon the literature on the informational role of IOs, this paper argues that IO membership helps enhance political leaders' survival prospects, particularly in resource rich countries, because IOs can legitimize leaders, act as a scapegoat for leaders, and signal leaders' intention to secure their power to the domestic audience. Drawing upon data on leadership turnover and a discrete-time survival model, this paper finds that membership in intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) leads to longer political tenure, and the effect is stronger when the level of resource rents a country enjoys is higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]