SOCY 211

LEARNING ACTIVITY 6

DEVELOPMENT:

STUDY UNIT: 3

LECTURER: MS. K. PHAJANE

J.E. COETZEE

33760845

TEL: 0795043183

24 APRIL 2021

 

1. Introduction

Herein will lead a brief comparison and contrast of the basic underlying principles and key focus areas of Modernisation and Dependency theories.

2. Modernisation and Dependency theories

In essence, Modernisation and Dependency theories differ in that the former holds that impoverished nations are so because they have yet to adopt the economic processes (industrialisation, free market, etc.) practiced in the West and show internal cultural and structural resistance to this; whilst the latter focusses on the poverty of nation states as being the consequence of the abrupt withdrawal of support of support from former-colonising countries, thus forcing them to continually rely on the exploitative trading practices with these former-colonising countries as a form of neo-colonialism (Ferrante, 2014:194-198; Ferrante, 2016:89-92).

Furthermore, the key focus of Modernisation theory is situated in the internal, cultural, and political changes and subsequent, seemingly necessary adoption of, and adaptation to Western economic principles and practices. On the other hand, Dependency theory functions on a social-periphery principle that emphasises the whole society as an entity situated in, and at subsequent odds with, the periphery of the (presumably) former-colonising countries or exploitative, multinational corporations or entities (Shareia, 2015:80). Additionally, Modernisation theory focuses on the structural changes required from underdeveloped nations by means of a procession of successive stages of phases, whereas Dependency theory places more emphasis on the differences between nations – more specifically in terms of economy and level of development, and between more, and less-developed countries (usually former colonies and their former-colonising countries) (Shareia, 2015:80).

Lastly, Modernisation theory is considered a predominantly Western-centric theory and metric of economic development, whereas Dependency theory developed among under-developed countries (Shareia, 2015:80).

3. Conclusion

Thus, it has been briefly shown that there exists a noticeable difference between some of the core tenants of Modernisation and Dependency theories.

4. Reference list

Ferrante, J. 2014. Sociology: a global perspective. Hampshire, UK: Cengage Learning.

Ferrante, J. 2016. Sociology: a South African perspective. Hampshire, UK: Cengage Learning.

Shareia, B.F. 2015. Theories of development. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 2(1): 78-90.