Specifically, it will investigate the major causes of political and economic dependency in nigeria, cum the impacts or the roles of the nigerian elites in the course of nigerian dependency and underdevelopment. Causes of underdevelopment and concepts for development. A critique of modernization and dependency theories in. The causes of underdevelopment in the third world and. Hence, this paper makes a clarion call to the current african leaders to seriously look more inwards and less outwards for african development. Modernisation theory had two major aims it attempted to explain why poorer.
This has necessitated the evocation of dependency theory in explaining africa s cum nigerias underdevelopment situation, hence africa s underdevelopment has been linked to two categories of factors. The latter term simply refers to a condition in which resources are not being used. The discourse pins hope on the african renaissance theory of development. The socio political set up of african countries has a similarity with those of the east asian nations which have brought economic progress through exercising developmental state. It is a central contention of dependency theory that poor states are impoverished and rich ones enriched by the way poor states are integrated into the world system. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa project material. Without a doubt, africa is one of the most blessed continents on our planet in terms of both natural and human resources.
Paul baran, in his work the political economy of growth 1973, first published in 1957, pioneered the theory of underdevelopment. Dependency theory is a concept based on the global relation of economic domination and exploitation by the more economically powerful countries over. The discourse assesses the influence of modernization and dependency theories on africa s development. Dependency theory is a popular theory within the social sciences to explain economic development of states. The marxist theory of imperialism explains dominant state expansion while the dependency theory explains underdevelopment. Dependency theorists sought to explain persistent levels of under development in latin america by situating national economies within their global. How europe underdeveloped africa abahlali basemjondolo.
The discourse assesses the influence of modernization and dependency theories on africas development. The roots of latin american underdevelopment, in fann and hodges, readings, op. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa a case study the. Used primarily to distinguish states along benchmarks concerning human developmentsuch as macroeconomic growth, health, education, and standards of livingan underdeveloped state is. Jul 11, 2017 dependency and underdevelopment in africa is our main thrust which we try to relate the above to the nigerian context. Africa, being the original home of man, was a major. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa is our main thrust which we try to relate the above to the nigerian context. A critique of modernization and dependency theories in africa. Majorly depending on external assistance will lead africa nowhere. During the early period of development efforts there was little discussion on the historical causes and the real nature of underdevelopment. This study sets out to argue that dependency as a historical fact in africa and third world evolutionary process affected their development but should not be the reason why africa has remained backward even after many decades of self rule.
Historical research demonstrates that contemporary underdevelopment is in large part the historical product of past and continuing economic and other relations between the satellite underdeveloped and the now developed metropolitan countries. Rodney also elaborates on his broader theory of underdevelopment and the issues of using the term especially in reference to comparing economies, saying actually, if underdevelopment were related to anything other than comparing economies, then the most underdeveloped country in the world would be the u. African nations are constantly running to world powers to beg for aids so that their countries do not derail. The internal factors, nnadozie said, fan the ember of. This is aptly illustrated by lawrence summers dirty memo. Latin american dependency theory global south studies, u. Dependency theories and underdevelopment emerald insight. By underdevelopment the normal user understands an extremely low standard of living, that is, a minimal per capita income, low productivity, a low. Every continent independently participated in the early epochs of the extension of mans control over his environment which means in effect that every continent can point to a period of economic development. Uniprojects aim of providing dependency and underdevelopment in africa project research material is to reduce the stress of moving from one school library to another all in the name of searching for dependency and. Over the years, african political and development scholars, writers and commentators have blamed the europeans for the underdevelopment of african. Dependency theory an overview sciencedirect topics. This has necessitated the evocation of dependency theory in explaining africas cum nigerias underdevelopment situation, hence africas underdevelopment has been linked to two categories of.
Dependency theory is the notion that resources flow from a periphery of poor and underdeveloped states to a core of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of the former. What is study the poor as much as medical researchers have to study the a icted. Development and underdevelopment in the third world. In this pattern, the movement of political independence eliminates the necessity and justification for the continued presence of imperialist military presence. By this theory, the foundational roots of underdevelopment and economic dependence can be attributed to this process of decolonization. Theoretical considerations at this time of cold war explained the situation of underdevelopment and the path for development from the viewpoint of western or socialist metropoles. Article availability in different formats pdf, epub, full text. The thrust of the dependency theory is the position that third world or peripheral countries are underdeveloped and poor because their economy were fused into. Essay underdevelopment of africa 635 words bartleby. The concept of underdevelopment and dependency are associated with the studying of the third world countries and this theory is concerned with the position of the third world countries in the global arena as developing or underdeveloped countries and the reason why it is so. Latin underdevelopment is the outcome of a particular series of relationships to the international system. Modernization, dependency, rural underdevelopment, african. There are a number of propositions, all of which are contestable, which form the core of dependency theory.
Some reflections on the dependency theory michigan state. Dependency theory seeks to analyze international politics by concerning itself with the existing unequal relationship among nationstates i. Dependency theory is a school of thought in contemporary social science which seeks to contribute to an understanding of underdevelopment, an analysis of its causes, and to a lesser extent, paths toward overcoming it. It is certain that nigeria is an independent nation, but it does not reflect in all the facts in the society since the super structures that form the society and state are dependent on foreign policy and factors. This model relates to the scholars like andre gunder frank, samir amin, immanuel wallerstein and h. Introduction dependency theory, as a theory that purports to explain the related conditions of economic development and the lack of, and evident need for it, in the countries of the periphery, or third worlda condition that some dependistas theorists of dependency refer to as underdevelopmenthas. This ignorance is partly the result of the scant exposure of dependency theories in orthodox literature and partly due to the fact that the theory has many versions, which in and among themselves are either contradictory or lack testable hypotheses. Concepts of the underdevelopment and dependencies politics essay. There is the continued dependence of african nations on foreign aid.
Wole soyinka avers that africa s underdevelopment is the outcome of the twin evils of slavery and colonialism inflicted by the western world. Underdevelopment of africa underdevelopment in africa is a problem that has been plaguing the countries all over the continent for a very long time. Dependency and underdevelopment of nigerian economy adekunle. Modernisation theory development and underdevelopment. Dependency theory, an approach to understanding economic underdevelopment that emphasizes the putative constraints imposed by the global political and economic order. Dependency theorists believe that the growth of todays rich countries has impoverished the third world and that the forces of international capitalism still block its progress. Stated another way, marxist theories explain the reasons why imperialism occurs, while dependency theories explain the consequences of imperialism. This has necessitated the evocation of dependency theory in explaining africas cum nigerias. What are the causes of african underdevelopment answers. Dependency and third world underdevelopment african journals. Random harvest theories of underdevelopment and the. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa project topics. The origin of dependency theory came as an alternative to the theories of modernisation and development as formulated and supported by the western and marxist.
It is intended to be mainly illustrative of certain theoretical principles and their application in concrete situations and to complement the more purely theoretical companion paper by mr du pisanie. Also, as a result of underdevelopment of africa, african nations rely on foreign countries for technological advancements. Theories of underdevelopment development economists study. First proposed in the late 1950s by raul prebisch, dependency theory gained prominence in the 1960s and 70s. Introduction dependency theory, as a theory that purports to explain the related conditions of economic development and the lack of, and evident need for it, in the countries of the periphery, or third worlda condition that some dependistas theorists of dependency refer to as underdevelopment has. One of the predominant theories coming especially from the voices of the third world leaders themselves is the dependency theory. It has brought about so many consequences, but of all, the economy is the most affected sector. It arose in latin america in the 1960s, became influential in academic circles and at regional organizations, spread rapidly to. The theories of underdevelopment are essentially dependency theories. Modernization, dependency, rural underdevelopment, african renaissance.
Read this article to learn about the dependency theory of underdevelopment. Underdevelopment, relating to international development, reflects a broad condition or phenomena defined and critiqued by theorists in fields such as economics, development studies, and postcolonial studies. The conclusion is that both theories have failed to help develop africa. At the beginning of the 1970s, new concepts of development theory began increasingly to be articulated in english by writers inspired by the work of radical latin american scholars. The political economy of africa and dependency theory.
Underdevelopment is a condition fundamentally different from undevelopment. Sep 27, 2015 modernisation theory historical context 1940s and 50s by the end of ww2 it had become clear that despite exposure to capitalism many of the countries of the south had failed to develop. In this context, in the late 1940s, modernisation theory was developed. Dependency theory and chinese special economic zones in africa. Sep 09, 2016 in the book the development of underdevelopment, andre gunder frank discusses the factors that have resulted in underdevelopment in certain areas of the world and rapid development in others.
Doc dependency and underdevelopment in africa abhishek. The case of dependency theory by tony smith in the midst of the turbulent seventies, when the ascendancy of the south, or noncommunist industrializing countries, is everywhere in evidence, it is a bit. Economic underdevelopment in africa violence in twentieth. Dependency as we all know is a product of underdevelopment which is prevalent in africa in general and nigeria in particular. The second most populous continent which has an abundance of highly valuable minerals. African societies is perhaps a lucrative business to the industrialized world. So what are the causes of underdevelopment in africa and possible solutions. Matunhu department of development studies, midlands state university, zimbabwe. Essays on underdevelopment and european expansion in asia and africa march 1980, pp. These concepts which have come to be known as dependency theories, have not only gained, in a short space of time, widespread acceptance by left wing intellectuals but have also permeated the thinking of ldc. For the dependency theorists, underdevelopment is a wholly negative condition which offers no possibility of sustained and autonomous economic activity in a dependent state. Dependency theory originates with two papers published in 1949 one by hans singer, one by raul prebisch in which the authors observe that the terms of trade for underdeveloped countries relative to the developed countries had deteriorated over time. This paper is not an exhaustive discussion of dependency theory as applied to southern africa. This has necessitated the evocation of dependency theory in explaining africas cum nigerias underdevelopment situation, hence africas underdevelopment has been linked to two categories of factors.
Please, sit back and study the below research material carefully. This project report looks to the theories, concepts and studies of the wellknown german prolific and controversial development economist and sociologist of postwar era, andre gunder frank. It has brought about so many consequences, but of all, the economy is the most affected sector because the economic sector controls all other aspect of. The effects of external factors in underdevelopment are numerous, it depend on the view point of the writer.
Pdf dependency theory and africas underdevelopment. Wole soyinka avers that africas underdevelopment is the outcome of the twin evils of slavery and colonialism inflicted by the western world. In short, dependency theory attempts to explain the present underdeveloped state of many nations. Additionally, the marxist theory of imperialism is selfliquidating, while the dependent relationship is selfperpetuating.
Dependency and underdevelopment in africa project materials. Concepts of the underdevelopment and dependencies politics. Dependency theory of underdevelopment social development. Dependency and underdevelopment in africa edustore.
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