Resource Exploitation And Economic Growth In Yunnan:an Analysis And Discussion Based On The Resource Curse Hypothesis

As the key element of material production activities, natural resources are consist of a nation’s wealth which is the main force driving economic growth. Natural resources abundance contributes to economic growth, and becomes the important physical basis of economic development. But the promoting role of resources exploitation to economic development is not unconditional. Since the "resource curse" hypothesis was officially put forward by Auty in1993, the scholars at home and abroad who questioned the traditional theory that natural resource exploitation can promote the economic growth have carried out a series of related researches.Yunnan province, located in western China, is known to be rich in natural resources. Based on the observation and discussion of "resource curse" hypothesis in yunnan, by researching the time, degrees, forms, transmission mechanism of "resource curse" as well as the way to avoid it, we finally reach the conclusion that the relationship between resources development and economic growth in yunnan. That is, resources exploitation have obviously hindered the economic growth in yunnan which is also referred to as "resource curse" since2004. Compared to the other provinces in China, the degree of "resource curse" is mild in yunnan, but would be worsen and yunnan will be another serious "resource curse" area. Further analysis are made to have found that existence form of "resource curse" in yunnan represents not only the widening gap between economic performance of yunnan and the other provinces, but also emerging contradictions of the population, resources and environment in the region, which make yunnan’s economy unsustainable development. Finally, we make special researches on the transmission mechanism of yunnan "resource curse" in economic growth, then put forward the suggestions on policies to evade "resource curse". The suggestions aim at reducing the negative effects that resources development brings in economic growth, making resources development again the promotion factor of economic growth, realizing sustainable development of the yunnan economy.The innovation of this paper lies in that the exact time "resource curse" occurs in yunnan and its degree. We have also analyzed forms of expressions of "resource curse" both chronically and spatially. At last we have introduced corruption as a research variable into "resource curse" transmission mechanism. We aim at conducting an empirical study on regional economic research in China using western theories, thus offer useful advice for sustainable economic development in yunnan.