Introduction
“The Development of Underdevelopment” is a seminal work by Andre Gunder Frank and majorly dives into critics of the unjustified and skewed global systems built in an uneven approach to benefit some nations at the expense of others. By highlighting the concept of dependency and ills perpetrated by the modernization theory, the author reflects that underdevelopment is not a step that nations must undergo in their path to prosperity. Underdevelopment takes a multifaceted approach perpetrated by the global hegemony of the Western countries, which demonstrates that the American and Eurocentric development model can be replicated elsewhere in the world. This paper outlines the author’s main argument and the significant themes such as dependency, criticism of the modernization theory, and how structural inequities exist due to skewed global systems aimed at promoting systems within developed nations by exploiting the underdeveloped world.
Main Argument
The author’s main argument is that underdevelopment in the global south is not a stage within the linear development progression. Instead, it is an outcome of the structural and historical processes which are driven by the exploitative relationships which are between the developed and the underdeveloped regions and perpetuated by capitalism and imperialism. The author contends that the capitalist world economy has, over the years, disadvantaged particular regions, leading to dynamic core-periphery relations where the developed countries exploit the underdeveloped nations, resulting in a cycle of social and economic disparities.
Main Themes and Ideas
The article’s central theme is built on dependency by outlining the skewed power relations between developed and underdeveloped countries. Underdevelopment is not a condition that grows on its own within societies but is a creation of external organizations such as the developed countries. Underdevelopment is a human creation that originates when external societies use their global hegemony as an exploitative tool to undermine less developed nations by infringing on aspects of their economies, such as exploiting their natural resources. The author supports the notion by suggesting, “The underdevelopment with which the world is now preoccupied is a product of capitalist development over the past few centuries” (Andre Gunder Frank 113). Thus, advanced societies continually develop at the expense of the creation of underdevelopment, especially within countries in the global south, which are mostly considered third-world countries.
The article is a critique of the modernization theory. The theory assumes that development is a universal approach that all countries will eventually follow, but not simultaneously. The author dismisses the advancement of the theory as a universal development structure by stating, “Modernization theory’s recommendation to adopt Western models does not guarantee success and can lead to dependency, as the conditions and histories of underdeveloped nations differ significantly” (Andre Gunder Frank 118) By projecting underdevelopment as a stage towards economic liberation, the modernization theory is non-cognizant of the historical and structural differences contributing to economic disparities between developed and underdeveloped countries. The author suggests, “Modernization theory suffers from a Eurocentric bias, failing to recognize the diverse historical experiences and conditions of underdeveloped nations” (Andre Gunder Frank 121). The quote supports criticism of the modernization theory by suggesting it is majorly Eurocentric. Thus, the economic development model forwarded by the idea needs help finding global application.
The concept of structural inequities and skewed division of labor has contributed significantly to the economic disparities observed between developed and underdeveloped nations. Structural inequity does not happen by accident but is deeply entrenched in the political, social, and financial models specifically aimed at supporting the development of select nations while undermining the rest. The structural inequities are supported by the hegemony projected to the underdeveloped countries by the developed countries. The author’s argument is built on the concept of the core-periphery model. The model suggests that the developed nations are constantly exploiting the periphery nations in areas such as labor to ensure that the countries do not break away from dependency. The author supports the notion by stipulating, “Core nations exploit peripheral nations, creating a cycle of dependency that reinforces the economic disparity between them” (Andre Gunder Frank 122). The exploitation of the periphery nations also occurs through unjustified and skewed exchange, where wealth is continually transferred from the underdeveloped countries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the paper offers a critical analysis of the main themes and ideas discussed in the seminal work, such as the concept of dependency, criticism of the modern theory, and the skewed structured inequities aimed at exploiting underdeveloped nations. The author provides a deeper analysis of how the developed countries have developed a path into global hegemony where they continually use the underdeveloped world while at the same time ensuring that such nations are frequently dependent on systems within Western actions. There is a flawed perception that underdevelopment is a step society must pass through to develop. Such a lousy perception must be abandoned, and the historical and structured inequities undermining the underdeveloped world must be relooked to reestablish a development path devoid of dependency on the developed world. Thus, the modernization theory cannot be replicated across all nations as the approach promotes dependency and exploitation of periphery nations. The structured inequities forwarded by the developed countries in areas such as the division of labor have also contributed to the economic disparities between the two factions.
Work Cited
Andre Gunder Frank. The Development of Underdevelopment. Canopy Publishers, 1966.
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