Underdevelopment

Articleissues
or=April 2008
npov=April 2008

Underdevelopment is the state of an organism or of an organization (e.g. a country) that has not reached its maturity.

It is often used to refer to economic underdevelopment, symptoms of which include lack of access to job opportunities, health care, drinkable water, food, education and housing.

Overview

Underdevelopment take places when resources are not used to their full socio-economic potential, with the result that local or regional development is slower in most cases than it should be. It results from the complex interplay of internal and external factors that allow less developed countries only a lop-sided development progression. Underdeveloped nations are characterized by a wide disparity between their rich and poor populations, and an unhealthy balance of trade. [A. G. Frank, “The Development of Underdevelopment,” Development: Critical Concepts in the Social Sciences (2005).]

Extended overview

The economic and social development of many developing countries has not been even. They have an unequal trade balance which results from their dependence upon primary products (usually only a handful) for their export receipts. These commodities are often (a) in limited demand in the industrialized countries (for example: tea, coffee, sugar, cocoa, bananas); (b) vulnerable to replacement by synthetic substitutes (jute, cotton, etc); or (c) are experiencing shrinking demand with the evolution of new technologies that require smaller quantities of raw materials (as is the case with many metals). Prices cannot be raised as this simply hastens the use of replacement synthetics or alloys, nor can production be expanded as this rapidly depresses prices. Consequently, the primary commodities upon which most of the developing countries depend are subject to considerable short-term price fluctuation, rendering the foreign exchange receipts of the developing nations unstable and vulnerable. Development thus remains elusive. [A. K. Bagchi, The Political Economy of Underdevelopment (Cambridge University Press, 1982).]

History

The world consists of a group of rich nations and a large number of poor nations. It is usually held that economic development takes place in a series of capitalist stages and that today’s underdeveloped countries are still in a stage of history through with the now developed countries passed long ago. The countries that are now fully developed have never been underdeveloped in the first place, though they might have been undeveloped. [ [http://www.diversitas.org/db/x.php?dbcode=pr&go=e&id=11202060 Underdevelopment of countries - World Problems - Issues Online ] ]

Examples of Underdeveloped Countries and Regions

Africa

Africa is the second-largest continent on the planet (after Asia) in both land area and population—with more than 800 million people living in fifty-four countries. With a total land area of more than km2 to sq mi|30221532|abbr=yes, Africa accounts for 20% of the land on the planet; its population accounts for one-seventh of the population of earth. It is also the most underdeveloped continent. [ [http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2667/Poverty-in-Underdeveloped-Countries-Poorest-Poor-AFRICA-POOREST-CONTINENT.html Poverty in Underdeveloped Countries—The Poorest of the Poor - Africa: The Poorest Continent ] ]

Third World

The Third World refers to the technologically less advanced, or developing, nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. They are generally typified as low income, having economies dependent on the export of major products to the developed countries in return for finished products. These nations also tend to have high rates of illiteracy, disease, and population growth, and unstable governments. Many are at the bottom of the league in terms of human development, such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kiribati, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu. [ [http://www.diversitas.org/db/x.php?dbcode=pr&go=e&id=11202060 Underdevelopment of countries - World Problems - Issues Online ] ]

Afghanistan

Historically, there has been a deficiency of information and dependable statistics about Afghanistan's economy. The 1979 Soviet invasion and consequent civil war destroyed much of the country's limited transportation infrastructure and disrupted normal patterns of economic activity. Gross domestic product had fallen significantly because of loss of labor and capital and disruption of trade and transport. Continuing internal conflict disadvantaged both domestic efforts at reconstruction as well as international aid efforts. The country today however is beginning to make some progress. [ [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm Afghanistan (12/07) ] ]

Theories

Modernization Theory

Modernization theory is a socio-economic theory, also known as the Development theory. This highlights the positive role played by the developed world in modernizing and facilitating sustainable development in underdeveloped nations. It is often contrasted with Dependency theory. [ [http://www.123exp-business.com/t/04254366384/ Modernization theory - Economics Dictionary and Research Guide ] ]

The theory of modernization consists of three parts:
*Identification of types of societies, and explanation of how those designated as modernized or relatively modernized differ from others;
*Specification of how societies become modernized, comparing factors that are more or less conducive to transformation.
*Generalizations about how the parts of a modernized society fit together, involving comparisons of stages of modernization and types of modernized societies with clarity about prospects for further modernization. [ [http://science.jrank.org/pages/10273/Modernization-Theory-Defining-Modernization-Theory.html Modernization Theory - Defining Modernization Theory ] ]

Dependency Theory

Dependency theory is the body of theories by various intellectuals, both from the Third World and the First World, that suggest that the wealthy nations of the world need a peripheral group of poorer states in order to remain wealthy. Dependency theory states that the poverty of the countries in the periphery is not because they are not integrated into the world system, but because of how they are integrated into the system.

These poor nations provide natural resources, cheap labor, a destination for obsolete technology, and markets to the wealthy nations, without which they could not have the standard of living they enjoy. First world nations actively, but not necessarily consciously, perpetuate a state of dependency through various policies and initiatives. This state of dependency is multifaceted, involving economics, media control, politics, banking and finance, education, sport and all aspects of human resource development. Any attempt by the dependent nations to resist the influences of dependency could result in economic sanctions and/or military invasion and control. This is rare, however, and dependency is enforced far more by the wealthy nations setting the rules of international trade and commerce.

Dependency theory first emerged in the 1950s, advocated by Raul Prebisch whose research found that the wealth of poor nations tended to decrease when the wealth of rich nations increased. The theory quickly divided into diverse schools. Some, most notably Andre Gunder Frank, adapted it to Marxism. "Standard" dependency theory differs sharply from Marxism, however, arguing against internationalism and any hope of progress in less developed nations towards industrialization and a liberating revolution. Former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso wrote extensively on dependency theory while in political exile. The American sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein refined the Marxist aspect of the theory, and called it the "world system." [ [http://abcworld.net/Dependency_theory.html Dependency theory ] ]

References

1. A. G. Frank, “The Development of Underdevelopment,” Development: Critical Concepts in the Social Sciences (2005).

2. A. K. Bagchi, The Political Economy of Underdevelopment (Cambridge University Press, 1982).

3.http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2667/Poverty-in-Underdeveloped-Countries-Poorest-Poor-AFRICA-POOREST-CONTINENT.html

4.http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/General/ThirdWorld_def.html

5.http://www.diversitas.org/db/x.php?dbcode=pr&go=e&id=11202060

6.http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm

7.http://science.jrank.org/pages/10273/Modernization-Theory-Defining-Modernization-Theory.html

8.http://www.123exp-business.com/t/04254366384/

9.http://www.thinking-catholic-strategic-center.com/definition-of-marxism.html

References

See also

* Economics
* Economic development
* Developed country
* Developing country
* Imperialism