Oil imperialism theories characterize a broad group of political science theories which assert that direct and indirect control of world petroleum reserves is a root factor in current international politics.

While economists and historians agree that access to important resources has throughout history been a factor in warfare and in diplomacy, oil imperialism theories generally tend to assert that control of petroleum reserves has played an overriding role in international politics since World War I. Further, the use of the word imperialism renders such analyses particularly contentious.

Some critics of the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, mostly coming from the far left, argued that oil imperialism was a major driving force behind these conflicts.

Some theories hold that access to oil defined 20th century empires and was the key to the ascendance of the United States as the world's sole superpower and explain why Russia was able to sustain itself for so long despite poor economic organization.

External link

• Oil Imperialism - by Norman D. Livergood - note: this article is clearly advertised as pushing a specific point of view - the list of more mainstream journal articles offered as references at the end are this article's primary and most credible sources.