Sociology AQA A Level
Global development
Theories of Development
Modernisation Theory Essay Plan - 20 Marker
Essay Plan for 20 Marker on Modernisation Theory:
'Applying material from Item L and your own knowledge, evaluate modernisation theory explanations of development'
Comparison of ...
Intro:
- No fixed definition of development, most see it as ‘an ideal state achieved by human effort’
- Modernisation theory developed in the 1960’s is based on factors internal to third world countries inhibiting
their own development and outlines the processes they should go through to enhance their development
- Critiqued through Frank - development theory, Escobar (1995) - post development theory
Para 1: Modernisation theory
- ‘According to modernisation theorists…’ - HOOK
- Rostow’s 5 stages of economic development - e.g ‘take off’ (beginning of exportation, generates more wealth
that trickles down to entire population)
- Moves from traditional society (parsons - traditional values act as barriers to development - individualism
(developed) vs collectivism (underdeveloped), ascribed and achieved status - underdeveloped countries
have their status dictated to them from birth) to high mass consumption
- Main aims: explain why poorer countries have failed to develop focusing on the process of development i.e.
how traditional societies could evolve into modern developed societies & provide a non-communist solution to
poverty in the developing world by proposing that economic change (capitalism) and cultural change could play
a critical role in bringing about modernisation
- EVALUATION / CONCLUSION:
- no countries have followed Rostow’s “5 stages of growth” in their entirety, very old theory partly
created with the intention of justifying the position of western capitalist countries, many of whom were
colonial powers at the time
- assumes that western civilisation is technically and morally superior to traditional societies - implies
that traditional values in the developing world have little value compared to those of the west
Para 2: Criticism - dependency theory - Frank
- ‘Others argue this will lead to underdeveloped countries…’ - HOOK
- Argued underdevelopment paved the way for the development of the West
- Dependency is created by international capitalist systems. Division of labour - poor countries provide raw
materials, cheap labour- the western more developed countries (former colonial powers) get these products
exported to them and then sold in the international market for a huge profit
- Some money does go into the poorer nations to build roads/infrastructure to help access to raw materials. The
dominant country decide where / what money is spent
- Argue development is not really about helping the developing world at all. It is really about changing societies
just enough so they are easier to exploit, making western companies and countries richer, opening them up to
exploit cheap natural resources and cheap labour
- EVALUATION:
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