The Political Economy of OPEC

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a part of the hard reality of the present and future energy position of the U. S. It burst upon the world scene in 1973 in response to long years of shabby treatment by the oil companies and oil-importing countries. Through cooperation in the exercise of their sovereignty over oil deposits, OPEC members have extracted increasing revenues through restricting production and raising price. Although serving its own interests, OPEC benefits also the rest of the world, even though its presence portends a shift in the world balance of power