Hired Education: Unemployment and Tertiary Education Under Resource Dependence
Open AccessWhat determines public investment in tertiary education in resource-dependent countries? I develop a political economy theory of the provision of tertiary education in resource-dependent developing countries. To explain variation in the provision of tertiary education in these countries, I employ a mixed methods approach that exploits variation both across countries and within countries over time. I contend that the provision of tertiary education in resource-dependent developing countries is a response to concerns about unemployment and can be explained by differences in regime type and exchange rate arrangement. I argue that conditional on these two dimensions rulers pursue one of four possible strategies for investment in tertiary education: private participation, patronage politics, training tomorrow, and elite education. These strategies vary in level of spending, scope, and connection to public sector employment. I explore the use of these strategies in three case studies: Venezuela, Ecuador, and Qatar. This theory departs from existing explanations by acknowledging that resource-dependent countries deserve a separate explanation because public spending in this context is not redistributive. It expands our understanding of resource-dependent countries and autocratic resource-dependent countries specifically by providing an in-depth analysis of one component of social spending.
- All rights reserved
Notice to Authors
If you are the author of this work and you have any questions about the information on this page, please use the Contact form to get in touch with us.