Resource boom and the politics of accountability at the sub-national level: Insight from Indonesia

A growing literature has investigated the relations between accountability and resource boom in developing economies. However, few studies focus on the emergence of political accountability in resource-rich regions at the local level. This article investigates accountability at the sub-national level in Indonesia’s resource-rich areas. While natural resource abundance in developing countries is associated with predatory states, this article aims to show how some sub-national governments have encouraged the responsible management of resources. This article primarily examines the political incentives that influence local elites’ promotion of accountability. Using the Bojonegoro Regency in East Java as a case study, we show that functioning local democracy and the existence of collective actions by local civil societies coupled with promotion from within parties drive politicians to promote accountability.