The principle thesis of Jahangir Amuzegar's book is to examine the success of the nations in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in managing their oil wealth. OPEC countries came into a great deal of money as a result of the oil-price shocks of 1973–74 and 1979–80. Their newly gained wealth became one of the most celebrated stories of the 1970s and 1980s. What happened to all the wealth? Where did it go? Whom did it benefit? And finally, how does one measure the success or failure of different countries?