Resource Extraction and the Threat of Possible Expropriation: The Role of Swiss Bank Accounts

This paper examines the consequences of resource owners being threatened with possible nationalization / expropriation. If shows that Long′s [J. Econom. Theory10, 42-53, 1975] overextraction result critically depends on availability of a relatively safer investment alternative. If all investment alternatives are similiarly uncertain, then resource extraction is efficient, but the overall savings-consumption decision is distorted toward consumption