Freedom House, the leading American rights group, said yesterday that the resource curse in energy-rich Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is taking root. “Rising oil prices correlate clearly with sharply falling democracy performance, especially in these countries”, said the NGO’s director of studies Christopher Walker.

According to the newly published study by Freedom House, the most striking example of the oil wealth’s impact on politics is Russia, which is experimenting in “authoritarian capitalism,” with the “Iron Triangle” of state power, industry chiefs and security services leading a decline in the electoral process and increased control over political opponents and news media.