Dependency Theory
INTRODUCTION
Theorists from all works of life have been trying their best to find the remedy in addressing the problems of third world countries. Despite all these efforts, these countries, (third world) which are characterized with poverty, poor medical facilities, and poor road networks seem to be experiencing more of underdevelopment unlike the so many sorts of development. Developed nations on the contrary seem to be benefiting from this continuances lack of development in these countries.
The main objective of this essay is to discuss the main tenets of the dependency theory and analyze its analytical relevancy to developing countries. This will be done by first defining the key terms to be used in the essay. It will then give a brief history of the origins of dependency theory. Then it will go on to analyze the relevancy of dependency theory to developing countries. Lastly it will give a brief overview of the paper.
Developing countries in this case will be used to refer to countries that are technologically less advanced, or developing nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America. They are generally typified as low income, having economies dependent on the export of major products to the developed countries in return for finished products. These nations also tend to have high rates of illiteracy, disease and population growth, unstable governments. Many are at the bottom of the league in terms of human development, such as they find themselves depending on developed nations for their well being. Dependency is a conditioning situation in which the economies of one group of countries are conditioned by the development and expansion of others (H.Bernstein, 1973, P.76)
Dependency theory is a body of social science theories, both from developed and developing nations, which are predicated on the notion that resources flow from a “periphery” of poor and underdeveloped states to a “centre” of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former.
Theorists from all works of life have been trying their best to find the remedy in addressing the problems of third world countries. Despite all these efforts, these countries, (third world) which are characterized with poverty, poor medical facilities, and poor road networks seem to be experiencing more of underdevelopment unlike the so many sorts of development. Developed nations on the contrary seem to be benefiting from this continuances lack of development in these countries.
The main objective of this essay is to discuss the main tenets of the dependency theory and analyze its analytical relevancy to developing countries. This will be done by first defining the key terms to be used in the essay. It will then give a brief history of the origins of dependency theory. Then it will go on to analyze the relevancy of dependency theory to developing countries. Lastly it will give a brief overview of the paper.
Developing countries in this case will be used to refer to countries that are technologically less advanced, or developing nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America. They are generally typified as low income, having economies dependent on the export of major products to the developed countries in return for finished products. These nations also tend to have high rates of illiteracy, disease and population growth, unstable governments. Many are at the bottom of the league in terms of human development, such as they find themselves depending on developed nations for their well being. Dependency is a conditioning situation in which the economies of one group of countries are conditioned by the development and expansion of others (H.Bernstein, 1973, P.76)
Dependency theory is a body of social science theories, both from developed and developing nations, which are predicated on the notion that resources flow from a “periphery” of poor and underdeveloped states to a “centre” of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former.