colonial consequences

Great study (.pdf) of colonial Brazil and the consequences for its modern economic and political structures. Salon has an excellent summary that includes a comparison with Botswana, where

British indifference left local tribal institutions and power structures practically intact, allowing the lucky country to become, economically speaking, one of Africa's rare success stories (if one ignores the devastation wrought by AIDS.)

Definite use for world civ, possibly as assigned reading for the imperial 16th century lecture.

Also there are apparently consequences for present-day energy competition - "a new Great Game" as Salon put it. ("The biofuel scramble for Brazil")