Few products illuminate the challenges of global interconnectedness more brightly than oil.  Since it was first refined in the late nineteenth century it has become vital to the world economy.  Without it industrial production would cease, transportation would slow to a crawl, and many homes would remain cold and dark.  Oil is also a scarce resource concentrated in a few relatively small regions of the world.  Together the economic importance and scarcity of oil give more oil-producing countries power far out of proportion to their size and other strengths.  Consider OPEC nations such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.  Without their oil reserves they would be at best regional powers.  However, because they can control the flow of this crucial resource they wield significant influence in world affairs.  This combination of importance and scarcity has put oil at the center of many world conflicts.  For example, control of the Romanian oil fields figured into Hitler's designs during World War II; and OPEC turned oil into an instrument of coercion during the Arab-Israeli conflict in the 1970s.  Despite the many calls for alternative energy sources, oil will shape the development of global society for the foreseeable future.  Use the links below to learn more about oil, its history, and its place in the global economy.

1. For a useful overview of oil-use through the ages, go to Chronology of Oil Events.
2. The global oil economy as we know it began in the United States.  John D. Rockefeller and the Standard Oil Company offers a concise history of the U. S. oil industry from its origins to its expansion into the world economy.  (Note: the text was translated from French into somewhat less-than-idiomatic English, but be patient: it's worth the extra effort.)
3. In the late nineteenth century Russia became a major competitor of the United States oil industry.  Read the brief  History of Oil In Russia.  Then go to The history and politics of Chechen Oil for a how current Russian oil interests figure into the on-going conflict in Chechnya.
4. Chechnya is one of the many countries in the oil-rich Caspian Sea basin.  This region is both geographically remote politically unstable.  Caspian Sea Region and Caspian Sea Region: Oil Export Options amply demonstrate the challenges of exporting oil under these conditions.
5. The Organization of Oil Producing Countries continues to be one of the most significant powers in the world.  Go to the official OPEC web site and read through sections in "About OPEC."  When you finish click on the "Global Climate Change" icon and read what OPEC has to say on this important issue.  Finally, click on "OPEC Daily Basket Price."  What information is provided on that page?
6. A branch of the U. S. Department of Energy, the Energy Information Administration offers a wide range of statistical information about petroleum production and consumption.  For example, take a look at EIA Petroleum Quick Stats.  Compare imports and exports and note who the major suppliers of oil to the U. S. are.
7. Russia's resurgence reshuffles global oil industry is one example of the continuing importance of oil in global society.  Another is Oil Raises Hope, Fear about the perils of entry into the world oil market.