Question

Modernization Theory and Dependency Theory. What are the pros and cons of these theories? Do you think there is truth to both theories? Which theory do you think explains or describes the way the United States interacts with poor countries?

Answer 1

(A) Modernisation theory

Modernisation theory was developed by Max Weber. It refers to the transition from traditional society to a modern society.. It tries to explain the process of change and the responses to that change. It is considered as a dominant theory in social science....modern theory attempts to explain the social changes, dedevelopments etc...it was criticized  by dependency theory...

(B) Dependency theory

Dependency theory refers to the flow of resources from poor countries to rich countries... It can understand with the help of centre periphery model also... For instance, Britian captured and colonised many poor nations with abundant natural resoureso with their powers and military.. Then they tried to transfer resources ( raw materials) from the poor ( colony) county to their home country .. India was a colony of Great Britain.... They drained our resources and wealth to their countries... And made finished products and sold that products in India... This theory is called "Drain theory" by Dadabai navoroji..

Some scholars argued that dependency was erased after the second of colonialism ...but now a days we can see a sort of colonialism and dependency in a very different manner...

These two theories explain things differently.. Dependency theory was the reaction to the modernisation theory... In the above question, US interacts with poor countries by the modernisation theory...and at the same time we can see the existence of dependency in the form of globalisation in the present day world. On the basis of modernisation theory, US is firmly believed that the modernity can avoid extreme control of traditional rural society by rich owners or to avoid communism. As a modern nation in the world, US can promulgate this idea in to the third world countries.. In the Rostows five stages of growth, after maturity they can grow further... For a rapid growth of economic development in a poor or underdeveloped economy , modernisation theory is very essential... They (US )believed that the main problem of LDS is the second and third stage of rostows growth model... In order to overcome such problem, modern state like US can play a vital role...