Leif Wenar, “Blood Oil: Tyranny, Violence, and the Rules that Run the World” (Oxford UP, 2016)
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What is the central problem that “Blood Oil” investigates?
Welcome to the New Books and Philosophy channel of the New Books Network. My name is Robert Talis, I am professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University. I co host the channel with Carrie Figter. Carrie is associate professor of philosophy at the University of Iowa. Today my guest is Professor Leif Wenar. His new book is titled Blood Oil Tyranny, Violence and the Rules That Run the World. It is newly published with Oxford University Press. Winar is Chair of Philosophy and Law at King's College, London. Chances are that at this very moment you are looking at a computer screen or else holding a digital device. Our computers and other devices are constructed out of materials that have their origins in lands across the globe.
But as with most objects Wheel plays a central and early role in the causal story of how we came into possession of them. And oil also plays a leading role in the major global conflicts of our day. With only a little analysis, it can be shown that much of the world's oil is sold by brutal tyrants who use the monetary proceeds to strengthen their tyranny. Yet it is arguable that the tyrants who control a territory have no legitimate claim to ownership of the territory's resources. The oil belongs to the people. Not to the tyrants. So the oil that goes into creating the objects that we now own likely stolen. How is it then that your computer Which is made out of oil in the form of plastic. Is your property?
And what can be done about the fact that our ordinary consumption habits so directly place large sums of money? Into the pockets of the world's most brutal men. These are among the questions taken up in Winard's blood oil. The book is a fascinating examination of the history, sociology and politics of the global oil trade by Although the reality depicted in the book is bleak. When our message is ultimately uplifting. He argues that the tools of radical reform are close at hand. Blood oil makes an important contribution to political philosophy. Let's turn to the interview. Hello, LAF One R. Hi Bob. How you doing today? How are you doing? I'm doing great. Thanks for joining us on New Books in Philosophy.
My pleasure and thanks to everyone who's listening out there.
Well yes, thank you listeners, uh, for uh for tuning in. Um today I'm talking with Leif Wanar. about his fabulous new book, which is titled Blood Oil. Tyrants, violence, and the rules that run the world are Um as the title of Leif's book indicates, um Stained examination of the links. Sometimes very direct lengths. between habits of local consumption Global commerce. and um political corruption. And yet And yet blood oil um develops an inspiring conclusion. about the possibility of progress. Um, this book is filled with um uh w a wealth of learning uh of a historical, sociological um kind. It's rich with data. But is also philosophically um very rigorous. Um so there's a lot to talk about. But let's begin where we typically do.
Uh Leif, why don't you tell us a little bit about how you came to this project?
Thanks so much. And you know, Bob, from what we do, being a political philosopher is often nothing more than just being able to see the big picture. And if people are listening right now, they probably are philosophers in that sense too. They wanna see the big picture, so Look at the big picture of what we've been seeing in the news. for our lifetimes and what the big threats and crises are. So right now When you look at the headlines, we see ISIS with their atrocities and their beheadings, we see Assad barrel bombing his own people. causing a refugee crisis into Europe and Putin brought bombs in Syria worsening that refugee crisis. We see ISIS spreading to Libya, hot conflict and Yemen. See these two theocracies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Iran, heating up their sectarian war.
You know, a little earlier, uh, if you looked in the headlines it was Putin going into Ukraine. And before that it was Gaddafi and Saddam and Nine eleven. And the genocide in Darfur and Iran Spreading terrorism around the world for thirty years and
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the central problem that “Blood Oil” investigates?
0:09–8:30
2
How does Leif Wenar trace the journey of oil from the ground to our everyday devices?
8:30–16:56
3
Why does Wenar argue that the rule “might makes right” still governs global oil markets?
16:56–27:44
4
What is the “resource curse” and how does it affect oil‑rich developing countries?
27:44–39:08
5
Why do Norway and Equatorial Guinea illustrate opposite outcomes of the resource curse?
39:08–50:01
6
How can the rule of “might makes right” be replaced by popular sovereignty over natural resources?
50:01–59:35
7
What practical steps does the book propose for ending the trade in authoritarian oil?
59:35–1:04:04
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