What Are the Factors Contributing to Societal Underdevelopment?

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“What explains underdevelopment? Can underdevelopment be explained by a failure to adopt superior Western values and policies?” Politics of Development- POLS 257 Professor Rodrigues February 21, 2011 It is important to recognize that the current international system has stimulated an increased rate of disparity between economically prosperous nations and those that are still underdeveloped. There are many theories regarding this issue seeking to provide explanations for these inequalities, and to provide solutions to narrow the inequality gaps. However, it is the theory of modernization that affords the most complete explanation regarding the issue of underdevelopment. Modernization theorists have provided sufficient evidence that the most heavily industrialized countries are those that possess the power to shape the global markets and ultimately determine the rate of growth in the underdeveloped countries. Theories such as, Dependency and Marxism are easily disproved because the overbearing presence of Western ideals and values have created an environment in which peripheral countries are forced to embrace them or they will never see economical growth. Unfortunately, Dependency and Marxism don’t supply enough lucid examples of societies that are currently suffering from the effects of these theories, or are archaic in their explanations. In order to understand why Modernization theory provides the best explanation for underdevelopment in the peripheral states, it is important to understand what the theory of Modernization entails. “The core idea of modernization theory is that economic and technological development bring a coherent set of social, cultural, and political changes.” (“How development Leads to Democracy”, Inglehart and Welzel, p.8) This concept is instrumental in understanding one of the most important aspects of Modernization theory. Economic

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