Contesting post-communist economic development: gold extraction, local community, and rural decline in Romania

A study reveals that the local community at Roșia Montână, Romania, advocates for traditional mining practices rooted in local ownership and labor identities, contrasting sharply with the neoliberal vision of globally competitive, technologically advanced gold extraction promoted by mine owners. This divergence highlights how economically marginalized groups may not align with the material interconnections shaping neoliberal capitalism. The research analyzes shifting roles of capital, state, civil society organizations, and local communities over two decades, uncovering distinct cultural, social, and economic priorities that define opposing stances on mining development.

Rîșteiu, N. T., Creţan, R., & O’Brien, T. (2021). Contesting post-communist economic development: gold extraction, local community, and rural decline in Romania. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 63(4), 491–513. https://doi.org/10.1080/15387216.2021.1913205