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Bachelor Of Social Sciences Honours Degree In Development Studies

[Block Release 2.2]

Faculty : Humanities And Social Sciences

Department : Development Studies

Student ‘Name : Emmanuel R Marabuka

Student’ Id Number : L0110064T

Module Name : Theories Of Development

Lecturer : Dr E. Munsaka

Due Date : 15 March 2013

Email Address : emmanuelrems@gmail.com

Question : Compare and contrast modernisation

and dependency theory.

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Modernisation and dependency are theories which specify the concept of development. These

theories reveal valid explanations for both development and underdevelopment of developed

and developing countries. However, in order for one to successfully compare and contrast

these theories it vital to really know the meaning of both theories. According to Matunhu

(2011) modernisation is about Africa following the developmental footsteps of Europe

(largely the former colonizer of Africa). Mar (2008) defined modernisation as a process of

transforming from traditional or underdeveloped society to a modern western societies way of

life. From the definition, modernisation is a developmental process which was derived from

the steps followed by western countries when they were doing their development.

Dependency is an historical condition which shapes a certain structure of the world economy

such that it favours some countries to the detriment of others and limits the development

possibilities of the subordinate economics a situation in which the economy of a certain group

of countries is conditioned by the development and expansion of another economy, to which

their own is subjected (Ferraro 1996). From the definition, dependency theory attempts to

explain the present underdeveloped state of many nations in the world by examining the

patterns of interactions among nations and by arguing that inequality among nations is an

intrinsic part of those interactions. In this respect, it is possible to refer to Modernization

theory and Dependency theory which, being quite different, still have certain similarities in

their views on the modern world and relationships between developed and developing

countries. Also they aim to explain development but using different angles. This essay seeks

to compare and contrast modernisation and dependency theory.

Therefore, theory refers to a set of logical propositions that explain a given phenomenon. It is

a set of organized ideas that offer logical explanations of the interrelationships among

different variables. Development theories are, therefore, a set of logical propositions that

explain how development occurred in history and how it should occur. Development theories

particularly aim to reduce and eliminate oppression and poverty for example, in order to

improve human conditions. It is worthy of mention that the comparison of these theories will

help better understand the current trends in international relations and the future perspectives

of the world. At the same time, this theories help assess the current situation and relationships

between developed and undeveloped countries more objectively due to existing differences

between the two theories. Modernisation is about Africa following the developmental

footsteps of Europe (largely the former colonizer of Africa). Matunhu, (2011) expounds that,

according to modernity, policies intended to raise the standard of living of the poor often

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consist of disseminating knowledge and information about more efficient techniques of

production.

The modernisation theory was propounded before the dependency theory in the 1960s. This

theory is mainly used in many context of development like politics, agriculture, religion,

economics and it is based on four main assumptions. The modernisation theory suggests that

development is a linear evolutionary process that should follow the stages and the way

developed countries developed. Rice (2012) alludes that, the assumption of the theory is

centred on the fact that development is a series of successive stages through which all

countries through happening through a process of diffusion. Therefore, modernity, policies

intended to raise the standard of living of the poor often consist of disseminating knowledge

and information about more efficient techniques of production. For instance, the agriculture

modernisation process involves encouraging farmers to try new crops, new production

methods and new marketing skills (Matunhu 2008). Therefore, the Western countries

societies are most advanced in terms of technological, social and political terms, they go

through a series of stages on their rate to becoming advanced.

Modernization theorist Rostow revealed that, modernisation theory has five major stages that

a traditional society has to pass through to become a Morden society. In their theory they

assume that all countries pass through these stages in order to for them to reach a stage of

being developed. Therefore, the Rostowian theory identifies these five stages which the less

developed has follows. Firstly it is the Primitive society stage which is stage is characterized

by subsistence farming and barter trade. The Second is the Preparation for take-off which is

characterised by specialization, production of surplus goods and trade. Transport

infrastructure is developed to support trade. In addition the stage encourages savings and

investment. Thirdly it is the Take-off stage where industrialization increases and the economy

switches from agriculture to manufacturing. The fourth stage is regarded as the Drive to

maturity where the economy diversifies into new areas and there is less reliance on imports.

And the last stage is Period of mass consumption where the economy gears on mass

production and service sector becomes increasingly dominating. In general, modernization

led to the introduction of hybrids, the green house technology, genetically modified (GMO)

food, use of artificial fertilizers, insecticides, tractors and the application of other scientific

knowledge to replace traditional agricultural practices (Matunhu 2008). Smith, cited in

Matunhu (2008) pointed out that; modernisation is about exchange of older agriculture

practices with something more recent.

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According to Sharmila, (2008) dependency theory is the relationship between two or more

countries assumes the form of independence when some (dominant ones) can do this as

reflection of the expansion. Therefore the relationship between these countries is not equal.

The dependency theory views developing countries as is politically conservative because

they view developing countries as undeveloped because they lack the qualities that developed

nations have this is compared with the dependency theory which sees development as due to

the exploitation of advanced nations. Moreover dependency theory states that, there is the

core, semi periphery and the periphery. The core consists of developed countries, semi

periphery is the Newly industrialised countries like Brazil and the peripheries are developing

countries.

Costantino (1998; 9) postulate that

“The final result is the creation of a core and a periphery, with a number of semi-

periphery countries in between. The core consists of the industrialised countries, the

periphery of the agricultural export countries. The semi-peripheral countries (like

Brazil), which act as a buffer between the core and the periphery, are differentiated

from the periphery by their more significant industrial production. The semi-periphery

functions as a go-between: it imports high technology from the core and in return

exports semi-manufactured goods to the core. It imports raw materials from the

periphery and exports to it industrial end products. Wallerstein saw the Newly

Industrialised Countries as examples of the semi-periphery. A peripheral country can

achieve the status of semi-periphery and in this way can be brought into the core. The

spread of as large a market as possible is essential to his reasoning”.

From the quotation above, the undeveloped countries supply the developed countries with

raw materials whilst the developed countries add value to the raw material by making the

valuable goods. In the support to this view line Prebisch points out that, poor countries

exported primary commodities to the rich countries that then manufactured products out of

those commodities and sold them back to the poorer countries. Do Santos (1967) is of the

notion that, dependency assumes that development depends on the relationship between

center and the periphery where the center or the core are the first world and developed

nations while the periphery refers to the third world and developing states. Therefore,

Rodney, (1972) argues that dependent states, therefore, should attempt to pursue policies of

self-reliance to avoid unfair relationship between the periphery and core. This is based by the

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argument that, Africa deprived (by Europe) of politic and economic decision power, and

lacking sustained investment funds, trod the reverse path, sinking deeper and deeper into non

development and poverty (Matunhu 2008).

According to Do Santos (1967) it is central contention of modernisation theory is that poor

countries are impoverished and ones enriched by the way poor countries are integrated into

the world system. In the same line Matunhu (2008) revealed that, Modernization

impoverished Africa through colonialism and imperialism by the West and this trend is with

us today as the East takes its turn to deplete the continent‟s resources such as oil and

minerals. Africa needs to outgrow poverty and underdevelopment but this may not be

possible as long as we still believe in the power and strength of modernity at the expense of

promoting new theories for Africa‟s development.

Matunhu (2008) postulate that, discontentment with the modernization theory in the 1950s

precipitated new strands of thinking which resulted in the dependency theory. The theory

came as a critical reaction to the conventional approaches to economic development that

emerged in the aftermath of World War II. In the same line Moles (1999) propounded that,

dependency theory was developed in response to Modernization theory out of sheer criticism

of the latter theory by the supporters of Dependency theory. In analysis done by Andre

Gunder Frank cited in Matunhu (2008), the post-colonial state, has argued that classical

development theories such as modernity are misleading in that they fail to articulate the true

relationship between the developed world and the poor regions of the world.

Modernisation and dependency theory have similarities which may assist us in comparing

and contrasting the two theories. Therefore, when speaking about the similarities, it is

primarily necessary to point out that both theories pay a lot of attention to the gap existing

between developed countries and undeveloped ones belonging to the third world (Mjrice

2012). To put it more precisely, Modernization and Dependency theory stand on the ground

that Western countries are the world leaders due to their higher level of development, which

affects practically all spheres of life, including; economic, political, social, and even cultural

life (Costantinos 1998). As a result, there exist a strong link between developed and

developing countries. This may be true in the sense that, the modernisation theory mentions

the development gap between developing and undeveloped countries by reviling that,

developing countries must go through various stages to reach fifth stage of high consumption

where the developed countries are found. Also dependency theory reveals the gap by

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postulating that, there are developing countries which are found at the periphery and

developed countries at the core. This clearly shows that both theories acknowledge a

development gap between developing and developed countries.

Furthermore both theories state that the experience of developed countries is followed by

developing and undeveloped countries, which basically develop in the same direction as

developed countries but still they cannot catch the latter up and remain in the rearguard of the

world development. In stark contrast, developed countries play the key role in the

development of the entire world and the integration of all countries of the world in the global

economy is one of the major ways of interaction between developed and developing countries

and both theories agrees that this interaction constantly increases. At the same time,

both Modernization and Dependency theories underline that the relationships between

developed and developing countries is unequal and there exist a kind of dependence of

developing countries on developed ones, though the views on this dependence vary

considerably. Nevertheless, both theories underline the dominant position of Western

countries in the modern world and leave little room for the alternative ways of the

development but the western one, which is viewed as the only way of the development of the

future world in the context of the global economy. It is worthy of mention that both theories

are ethnocentric in a way because they practically ignore the possibility of the alternative

development of developing countries but, instead they insist that the development of western

countries will be still on top.

Therefore, modernisation theory assumes that undeveloped countries remain so because they

have not been industrialised, countries such as Great Britain and France. “Societies are

treated as structural functional whole. As such, they are adaptive systems and progress from

one evolutionary stage to another. In particular, there is a need for „special entrepreneurs or

elite able to offer solutions to the new range of problems. And the stronger the elite the

greater the progress.” (Harrison, cited in Costantino 1998) .This contrasts with dependency

theory which can be seen to form its basis in historical materialism and its critiquing of

political economy. Historical materialism criticizes the class divisions it claims are inherent

within the capitalist system, which comprises of workers and the owners of the means of

production. Historical materialism states that the colonized countries were bought into the

global capitalist system as dependencies of their former colonial masters therefore cannot

enter the global capitalist system such as modernization theory suggests. This demonstrates a

clear contrast in the two theories.

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Furthermore, these theories are similar in the sense that, they all state that, the experience of

developed countries is followed in terms of development by developing and underdeveloped

countries which basically develop in the same direction as developed countries but still they

cannot catch the latter up and remain in the rearguard of the world development. More so,

there is a notable likeness in both theories because they both give valid and just explanations

for development and underdevelopment. Mole reveals that, modernization and dependency

theory make the mistake of treating LDC'S as homogenous that is as having the same

characteristics. They failed to understand the issues value systems and institutions and tends

to be cultural specific Mole (1999). For example, Ethiopia and Somalia may be neighboring

countries but their cultures are different from each other. And may require different programs

that suite their needs. Hussein et al [1981] highlights that the modernization is an

evolutionary theory. It states that societies go through different stages of development which

happen to be the economic backwardness of Third World countries. On this point they

drastically shifted the focus of political analyses from the domestic to the international and

from idiosyncratic to the structural .The dependency theorists up hold the view that linkages

between LDC and developed countries are harmful since they are exploitative and retard the

development of the former.

Matunhu (2008) postulate that, the relations between dominant and dependent states are

dynamic because the interactions between the two sets of states tend to not only reinforce but

also intensify the unequal patterns. Moreover, dependency is a very deep-seated historical

process, rooted in the internationalization of capitalism. Ellis and Biggs(2001) alluded that

underdeveloped States needs to design policies which are meant to raise the standard of living

of the poor often consist of disseminating knowledge and information about more efficient

techniques of production. Modernisation agriculture process which includes encouraging

farmers to try new crops, new production methods and new marketing skills be viewed as a

good example. In support, Smith (1973) pointed out that modernisation is about exchanging

of older agriculture practices with something more recent. However, Prebisch and his

colleagues viewed it differently. Their argument is based on the fact that economic growth in

the advanced industrialized countries did not necessarily lead to growth in the poorer

countries. Hence they argue that economic activity in the richer countries often led to serious

economic problems in the poorer countries.

Mar (2009) availed that, modernisation theory takes a holistic approach contrasting with

dependence theory that focus on critiques of political and economic features of modernisation

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and western development. Therefore, that the very blue print for development that

modernisation theory requires underdeveloped countries to adhere to is the original cause for

their underdeveloped state and the cause of their inability to modernise in the way

modernisation theory requires.

The major impacts brought by each of these theories regarding development may assist us in

explaining and demonstrating the next contrasting theme. Therefore, Modernisation requires

a transformation from traditional to modern society which made it possible by institutional,

change from the top down. In addition, Modernisation theorists saw traditionalism and

modernity as two poles and in zero-sum relationship with one another (Calvert & Calvert,

2007). This contrasts with dependency theory, which is concerned primarily with the political

and economic functionality of modernisation theory and its impacts on the developing

countries. From this essence it can be argued that, dependency theory does not argue against

a shift from traditional to modern society. This means all theories are parallel in this fact.

Therefore, Modernisation theory shows structural inequality as a natural part of the organic

body of society with Industrial revolution serving as a historical demonstration of the power

of modernisation. One can argue that, the creators of modernisation theory envisioned the

developing countries adopting the same. The principles of historical materialism specify that

societies become capitalist before they can go through a further revolutionary transformation

to socialism, but dependency theory is based upon the argument that Europe‟s colonies were

brought into the capitalist economic system as dependencies during the colonial period.

(Spybey, 1991).

Another commonality shared by both theories that both make absolute statements regarding

the relationship between the developed and the developing world. This commonality is

however, a crucial element in understanding development theory in the context of the twenty

first century. Both theories construct their arguments based upon a mirror of changing

economic and social capacities, priorities and choices. (Pieterse, 2009). This can be shown

because of the way modernisation theory has nuanced over the last 60 years to adapt to the

rise of neo-liberalism; the growing influence of Multinational Companies the World Bank,

IMF and the industrialisation in developing world. This commonality can be exposed as an

observation of development theory in a more general sense, rather than a commonality in the

content of either theory. The role that paradigms has to play in deciding what the possible

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future of impoverished people across the globe might be, offers the opportunity to place

dependency theory into a slightly more historical context.

In conclusion modernisation and dependency are two sharply different perspectives seeking

to explain the same reality. Modernisation theory posits that counties go through evolutionary

stages and that industrialisation and improved technology are keys to forward movements.

Dependency on the hand sees modernisation theory as Eurocentric and patronising. They

provide valuable insights into underdevelopment. They provide a cautionary take in the

dangers of attempting to create universal theories. Dependence theory depends on classical

economic theory that individuals are rational economic actors different in their behaviour and

situation and the modernisation theory is dependent on a theory that all nations follow a

predetermined historical path.

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