International Development Theories Compared

Summary

This video script explores the evolution of development theories from the 1950s to the present. It starts with economic growth as the sole focus, transitions through modernization and dependency theories, critiques with neo-liberalism, and delves into critical theories. The narrative shifts to human development, introduced by Amartya Sen, emphasizing the richness of human life and capabilities. The script concludes with the emergence of sustainable development, highlighting the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals, while acknowledging ongoing global challenges.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The terms 'third world' and 'developing world' are outdated; 'Global North' and 'Global South' are now used to represent the industrialized and developing regions, respectively.
• 💼 In the 1950s, development was synonymous with economic growth, influenced by John Maynard Keynes' ideas on state involvement in economic cycles.
• 🔄 The Modernization theory, emerging in the late 1950s, assumed the West's development model as a guide for the Global South, advocating capitalism and democratization.
• 🔄 Dependency theory, a reaction to Modernization, argued that the Global South's underdevelopment was a result of its dependency on the Global North, highlighting structural inequality within the capitalist world system.
• 💡 Neo-liberalism in the 1970s shifted focus from state involvement to market forces, blaming underdevelopment on poor governance and advocating for free-market principles.
• 🌐 Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) were loans with conditionalities from Global North to Global South, seen by some as a form of neo-colonialism.
• 🤔 Critics of neo-liberalism argue it disproportionately burdens the weakest in society and lacks protection for domestic industries.
• 🌟 The 1980s saw the emergence of critical theories, focusing on human emancipation, freedom, and equality, and deconstructing development discourse.
• 🌱 Human development, introduced in the 1990s by Amartya Sen, emphasizes the richness of human life and the capabilities of individuals, leading to the creation of the Human Development Index (HDI).
• 🏞️ Sustainable development, a prominent concern in the 21st century, aims to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations, as outlined in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• 🔄 The development landscape has seen a pendulum swing of theories, from economic focus to human capabilities and sustainability, reflecting the evolving understanding and complexities of global development.

Q & A

What is the term 'Global North' and 'Global South' used to represent in the context of development?

The terms 'Global North' and 'Global South' represent a divide where the Global South constitutes what was previously referred to as the 'developing world', and the Global North represents the industrialized world.

What was the initial understanding of development in the post-WWII era of the 1950s?

In the 1950s, development was synonymous with economic growth and prosperity, which was believed to be achieved through state involvement to smooth out economic recessions, influenced by the ideas of John Maynard Keynes.

What is Modernization theory and how does it view the process of development?

Modernization theory emerged in the late 1950s and is defined by the assumption that development progresses as it did in the West, serving as a guide for the Global South. It assumes that capitalism is good and conducive to democratization, viewing the West as the pinnacle of development.

What are the main criticisms of Modernization theory?

Critics of Modernization theory argue that it ignores history, such as colonialism, focuses only on internal factors, and promotes unsustainable high mass consumption.

How does Dependency theory differ from Modernization theory?

Dependency theory, emerging in the late 1950s to 1960s, stems from Marxist influences and views Modernization as elitist. It looks at the entire capitalist world system and argues that the underdevelopment of the Global South is a result of its dependency on the Global North.

What is the main argument of Dependency theory regarding the relationship between the Global North and the Global South?

Dependency theory argues that the Global North takes resources from the Global South, produces and innovates goods from these resources, and then sells them back at a higher cost, creating a cycle of structural inequality and limiting innovation in the Global South.

What is Neo-liberalism and how did it change the approach to development in the 1970s?

Neo-liberalism, emerging in the 1970s, viewed the state as an impediment to development and blamed underdevelopment on poor governance in the Global South. It advocated for trust in the capitalist world market, principles of the invisible hand, and policies like privatization, free trade, and deregulation.

What were Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) and how were they related to Neo-liberalism?

Structural Adjustment Programs were loans issued by Global North countries to those in the Global South during the reign of Neo-liberalism. They came with conditionalities that required the borrowing countries to follow the rules set by the Global North, which some critics argue was a form of neo-colonialism.

What is the main focus of critical theories in development discourse?

Critical theories focus on human emancipation, freedom, and equality. They deconstruct development discourse, looking for power dynamics within the discourse, and include sub-branches such as Post-development, post-colonial theory, and feminist theory.

How did the concept of human development introduced by Amartya Sen differ from previous theories?

Amartya Sen's concept of human development, introduced in the 1990s, shifted the focus from solely economic prosperity to the richness of human lives and the capabilities individuals have to lead the life of their choosing, leading to the creation of the Human Development Index (HDI).

What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what is their purpose?

The Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015, are a list of 17 goals aimed to be achieved by 2030. They are designed to continue global development in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, addressing issues like poverty, hunger, gender equality, and climate change.

What were the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and why were they replaced by the SDGs?

The Millennium Development Goals were a set of sustainable development goals established in 2000 to be achieved by 2015. They were replaced by the SDGs because the MDGs were not fully met by the target year, and the SDGs offer a more comprehensive and updated approach to global development challenges.