Democracy and oil

The topic of this book is the development of democracy and human rights in Azerbaijan. But since these virtues are inversely correlated with corruption, it is natural to raise this issue too. And since oil is the country’s primary earner, the use made of the oil revenues will affect the prevalence of corruption. The attitude of the Western oil industry to Azerbaijani corruption is therefore crucial. The in-depth interviews with 20 of the leading opposition politicians in Azerbaijan constitute a very important part of the data for this study. It gives good insight into the Azerbaijani oppositional elite’s perception of the Western oil industry and its operations in their country. Some people may react to the making of allegations about the oil industry that they consider unfair or even downright false. Fair or unfair, true or untrue is not the point: perceptions are also facts, part of the Azerbaijani reality to which the oil industry must relate, and so the industry will do well to listen. The study shows how easy it is - almost without being aware of it - to become caught up in the paralysing culture of corruption and finally become a part of it. Some respondents attempt to relativise the phenomenon in terms of Azerbaijani history, to see it as normal, natural or at any rate inevitable; but it is also sharply condemned. Our data uncover a growing unease in Azerbaijan, a fear that the expected oil wealth will be squandered by the narrow and corrupt power elite that is now on top and is steadily entrenching itself further. Precedents from other oil states are frightening.