Dependency Theory Perspective to Explain Underdevelopment

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The dependency theory gets a better explanation of underdevelopment because follow the steps of progress of Western development. The progress is done by imitating the West in modernization’s view. To the views of modernization theorists, the structural changes societies need in order to modernize. For modernization theory, underdevelopment is explained based on the failure of Third World countries recall imitation in the capitalist model, trapped in the past and cultural constraints. (Lecture notes, Sept 29)The poor countries can transform from the traditional to the modern easily because the Europeans already finished it. The Europeans were made lots of mistakes but the world’s poor country can just follow the footsteps that finished by the Europeans. It can avoid the false and mistake for the world’s impoverished countries. (Isbister, 37) This idea demonstrates that the ethnocentric in the modernization theory which means determining another culture only standards on their own culture. (Lecture notes, Sept 29) Actually it is totally wrong. In fact, due to the social and natural factors, each culture has its own distinctive features. Not all countries in the world suit for the western styles. For better or for worse, poor countries contact with the world’s rich countries and learn from them. “For the most part, say the dependency theorists, they have been changed for the worse. The poverty of the third world countries is not traditional, and it not accidental.” (Isbister, 43) The result why poor countries poorer and the rich countries richer is the economic and political impact of advanced countries. It is likewise the way to companion the richness of the developed countries. Progress follows the Western development steps are not a single idea of development and the contestation concerning discussion has never stopped.

In summary, history is one of the most important reasons for the underdevelopment because the exploitative of colonialism, Capitalism is an important role to touch off the underdevelopment because unequal relations of exchange and follow the steps of progress of Western developments one of the major reasons that leads to the underdevelopment because the ethnocentric. Dependency theory is a better explanation of underdevelopment because colonial history underdeveloped the global south, capitalism has taken resource from global and follow the steps of progress of Western development are contestation for different cultures. For the future, there will be less exploitative and contestation by built an equal relations of trade. Sharing technology and resources equality is the best way to help the impoverished countries to overcome underdevelopment.

Bibliography:

• J. Isbister, ”Modernization Theory”, in Isbister, Promises Not Kept, USA: Kumarian Press, 2006, Seventh Edition (32-48).

• Harrison, Lawrence, “Underdevelopment is a State of Mind” in Seligson, Mitchel and John Passe-Smith (eds.) Development and Underdevelopment. The Political Economy of Global Inequality, Boulder: Lynne Riener, 2008, Fourth Edition (227-228).

• E. Galeano, “Lust for Gold, Lust for Silver” (39-40)

• M.Gonzalez,lecture note on “Development as modernization” and “Dependency, roots”

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