Modernization and Dependency Theory
A clear and advanced look at the two theories leaves one with the assumption that they are related and therefore they can be discussed together. This is attributed to the fact that they both argue from the same point of development and that development of a nation can only be reached at by ensuring the acquisition of new techniques. In addition a country on its own cannot acquire the advanced techniques but through the interaction process with other countries. In terms of modernity, Anthony Giddens compares it to riding on a board a huge juggernaut (Potter 2002, p. 63). This brings with it consequences in the sense that those who resist the juggernaut are crushed. However, this maybe steady for a given period of time and later on it takes a steady path and moves on to a path where the initiators cannot foresee. This makes it clear to the innovators that as long as the institution of modernity is still in existence, we can never be able to control the pace at which it moves.
Modernity has brought with it a major phase of social change and this is mostly in the direction of globalization. Giddens is convinced that the global modernity being experienced by most of the countries is as a result of the frequent interactional processes that are going on. This leaves it a responsibility to every citizen in the country to adapt to the system of social change. It can therefore be agreed that the changes that appear in the traditional setting of the societies are in itself as aspect of modernization. The global modernity has become a form of social life and those who resist it are regarded as social deviants. It has discontinued the previous forms of modernity and brought in more advanc...
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Potter, R. (2002). ‘2.1 Theories, strategies and ideologies of development’ in Desai, V. & Potter, R. (2002). The Companion to Development Studies. London: Arnold. p. 61-65.
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Post-colonialism expresses the opposite idea of colonialism. Hence, post-colonialism literature is a consequence of colonialism. Post-colonialism continues to be a process of hostility and reform. One scholar suggested that although most countries have gained independence from their colonizers, they are still indirectly subjected in one way or another to the forms of neo-colonial domination. (Ashcroft et al.
Post-colonialism is a discourse draped in history. In one point in time or another, European colonialism dominated most non-European lands since the end of the Renaissance. Naturally, colonialists depicted the cultures of non-Europeans incorrectly and inferior. Traditionally, the canon has misappropriated and misrepresented these cultures, but also the Western academia has yet to teach us the valuable and basic lessons that allow true representations to develop. Partly in response, Post-colonialism arose. Though this term is a broad one, Post-colonialists generally agree on certain key principles. They understand that colonialism exploits the dominated people or country in one way or another, evoking inequalities. Examples of past inequalities include “genocide, economic exploitation, cultural decimation and political exclusion…” (Loomba 9-10). They abhor traditional colonialism but also believe that every people, through the context of their own cultures, have something to contribute to our understanding of human nature (Loomba 1-20). This is the theme that Lewis prescribes in his, self described, “satirical fantasy”, Out of the Silent Planet (Of Other 77).
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Schlozman, S. (2017). What Are Some Of The Major Theories Of Development? Retrieved September 22, 2017, from http://www.mghclaycenter.org/
Colonialism, which was a major cause of the north-south gap that occurred in the period following the Second World War, is the takeover by a nation of foreign territories; making them part of it to aid its own economic, social and political structures. The mother countries succeed in doing that by using the colony’s natural resources, money savings, and their lands, which leads the colony to rely on the mother country and therefore, leaving the country underdeveloped. Hence, the worldwide scramble for colonies, particularly in the late 19th – early 20th century, had a tremendous negative effect on the economic, social, and political structures of indigenous, non-industrialized peoples. Mother countries tend to take their colony’s natural resources, raw materials, and agricultural products, and then use them to manufacture their own products. This process causes the colony to depend on their mother country’s products rather than their own, which in turn leads to a tremendous deterioration of the colony’s local goods and products.
In international parlance, development encompasses the need and the means by which to provide better life for people in poor countries and it includes not only economic growth, although that is crucial, but also human development like...
Rodney’s argument is broken down into six chapters each consisting of several subdivisions and case studies supporting his principle argument. The first chapter works towards defining the terms of development and underdevelopment and argues the comparative nature of these terms; a country is only ‘underdeveloped’ by European standards. This chapter begins by tracing European development from its early stages of communalism through feudalism and finally capitalism. Then, he works towards developing an understanding of the term ‘underdevelopment’ and through an analysis of a variety of development indices what it constitutes in present day society: “In Niger, one doctor must do for 56, 140 people; in Tunisia one doctor for every 8,320 Tunisians”(18). The Marxist concept of inherent inequalities within the international capitalist system un...
Aschcroft, Bill, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin, eds. 'The Post-Colonial Studies Reader'. London; Routledge, 1995.
Modernization is defined as the conversion from the former civilizations in society to contemporary society; as it is establish today in the West. It models a perspective of economic, social, and cultural progress that enlightens the global disparity in terms of modifying levels of scientific improvement between societies. By presenting modern approaches in underdeveloped countries, societies will be knowledgeable of solidifications in their economies. This dominant theory refers to a variety of believers of Karl Marx’s perspectives that encourage the explanation of improvement or underdevelopment of countries. Everyone isn’t a fan of Karl Marx’s perspective. The mutual features between Max Weber and Emile Durkheim also interpret the developmental illustration of this theory. Development implies the bridging of these gaps by an imitative process, occurring in stages, such that traditional sectors and/or countries gradually assume the qualities of the 'modern' western. Max Weber observed that with modern civilization the societies would only profit from rationality. The title of Durkheim’s book, Division of Labor in Society, basically summarizes how he views modernization. Durkheim’s believes that with modernization will be the creation of a growing division of labor. He expects the flop of modern social unions in modernization might lead to anomie. Elevation in anomie will eventually cause a growth in crime rates. The theory is in fact a unilinear, ethnocentric theory and it is with all its shortcomings which one can conclude that it provides an unworkable guide to Caribbean development.
When talking about the concept of modernity, most people will probably think such concept is related to the contemporary era they live in where many advanced technology present in everyday life. In this so-called modern era, people from different regions and cultural backgrounds share many similar characteristics, such as their daily technology or civilization, general knowledge and science, and even the way they dressed. In fact, many characteristics or values that are different with those shared contemporary characteristics or values are often labelled as “traditional” or “alternative”. Some people believed that the beginning of modernity was marked by the age of Enlightenment where rationalism prevailed. Nevertheless, others believe that the seed of modernity had been planted even before such era. Using Stuart Hall’s work, The West and the Rest: Discourse of Power (1995) as primary reference, this essay will try to explore the root of modernity which dated back to the European exploration and colonialism era. In this essay, the concept of modernity will be mainly viewed as a cultural phenomenon caused by the domination of European values over other cultures throughout the world which results in the universality of the modern societies.
The path to modernization is one never clearly defined. The following report will attempt to analyze and critique our nation’s potential options concerning social and fiscal policy and use this information in an attempt to recommend future policy agenda.
McMichael, Philip, ed 2012. Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective, 5th ed. London: Sage Publications, Inc.
Development originated in the colonial era, when Europeans constructed domestic and imperial government systems and concentrated within the emerging national states as industrial system fueled by the products of colonial labor regimes (McMichael, p. 2). In the 19th century, development was understood philosophically as the improvement of humankind. European political elites interpreted development practically, as a way to socially engineer emerging national societies (McMichael, p. 3). In the post WWII, United State was concerned how to shape the future of the newly independent states in ways that would ensure that they would not be drawn into the communist Soviet bloc. Motivated by this concern, the United States enlisted its social scientists