Underdevelopment in two norths: the Brazilian Amazon and the Canadian Arctic

The developmental scholar Andre Gunder Frank has constructed a model to explain regional underdevelopment within developed nations. Underdevelopment is defined as the inability to control the rents from local resources and limited input into political decision making. Frank applies this concept to the Brazilian Amazon as a satellite of southeastern Brazil and concludes that the Amazon region has underdeveloped due to the abrupt entry and withdrawal of capitalist investment. This article applies the Frank model to the Canadian North as a satellite of southern Canada and, using the historical examples of the fur trade, the Klondike gold rush, and the whaling and petroleum booms, concludes by noting that the entry and collapse of capitalist investment in the Canadian Arctic has led to a similar form of underdevelopment or dependency in that region. Underdevelopment and dependency in both regions are seen as a result of the collapse of economic, and primarily resource extraction, booms. -from Autho

Investment strategies for northern cash windfalls: learning from the Alaskan experience

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (1971) and the creation of the Alaska Permanent Fund (1976) provided Native and non-Native Alaskans with two means of trust capital investment. To date Native Alaskans have largely chosen a strategy of investment in local establishment and/or new businesses, while the Permanent Fund has pursued a portfolio management strategy. Both investment means were examined against their stated end. Given that the current situation in the Canadian North parallels the situation in Alaska in the 1970s, the authors propose a strategy for the creation of a model developmental natural resource trust fund based on the best features of the Alaskan models. This model fund combines a portfolio management trust philosophy with the goal of sustainable economic development in the quest for northern fiscal autonomy. -from Author

Maritime dependency and economic prosperity: Why access to oceanic trade matters

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Maritime trade and access to deep-water territory are important when determining a country\u27s economic success. Today, as much as 75% of international trade takes place over water due to the fuel efficiency of seaborne freight and worldwide dependency on water as a means of transportation. Issues in economic geography such as being landlocked and maritime trade are directly related to global development patterns. A country\u27s ability to participate in international trade and transport goods overseas is integral in the modern global economy. Maritime dependency is the ability of a country to participate in maritime trade as determined by their geographic access to international waters and trade dependency. Access to maritime shipping and global participation in maritime trade is key to attracting global capital. This study explores the relationship between five major factors in maritime dependency and economic prosperity. Findings suggest a significant relationship between maritime dependency and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Results from this analysis were indexed and an Index of Maritime Dependency was created and mapped to display the geographical distribution of maritime dependency

The Kola Peninsula: geography, history and resources

The Kola Peninsula in northwest Russia is one of the most important economic regions in the circumpolar North. The region contains valuable natural resources and is proximate to the large gas fields of the Barents Sea. A large population, industrial complexes, and military infrastructure are also characteristic of the region. The Kola Peninsula developed rapidly during the Soviet period (1917-92) under the principles of socialist development policy. This policy favoured extensive resource extraction and industrialization and resulted in increased northern settlement, much of it involuntary. Soviet development policy prompted the opening of new mines and the construction of smelters and refining facilities, while Soviet military policy necessitated the establishment of large military basing operations. Resource development and processing have led to severe environmental damage in the region and beyond. This paper descibes the geographical features of the Kola Peninsula and the region\u27s development history and contains data on natural and labour resources. -Author