The recent boom in primary commodity prices has once more stimulated interest in the issue of “Dutch
disease.” This term refers to changes in the structure of production that are predicted to occur in the wake of a
favorable shock, such as the discovery of a large natural resource or a rise in the international price of an exportable
commodity that is perceived to be permanent. Such structural changes can be expected to include, in particular, a
contraction or stagnation of other tradable sectors of the economy and to be accompanied by an appreciation in the
country’s real exchange rate. Where the booming sector is oil or minerals, the declining tradable sectors would
include manufacturing and agriculture, according to the theory.
In principle, such changes in the structure of production should be welfare improving, reflecting changes in
demand associated with an increase in national income. However, these changes can have negative effects if the
declining sectors have some special characteristics that would stimulate growth and welfare in the long term, such as
increasing returns to scale, learning by doing, or positive technological externalities. Concerns about Dutch disease
can also arise in countries that have enjoyed large, sustained inflows of private capital or foreign aid.
Laos’ underdeveloped financial sector makes it particularly vulnerable to exchange rate
volatility, as discussed in the previous section. For countries with relatively low levels of financial
development, such as Laos (Figure 21), exchange rate volatility generally reduces growth, whereas in
financially advanced countries, it has no significant effect.