Question

Please Outline the historical context in which dependency school theories emerged and assess their contribution to the subject area of Development Economics.

Long answer is required

Answer 1

SOLUTION

HISTORICAL CONTEXT IN WHICH DEPENDENCY SCHOOL THEORIES EMERGED AND ASSESS THEIR CONOTRIBUTION TO THE SUBJECT AREA OF DEVELOPEMENT ECONOMICS

Dependency theory is the notion that the resources flow from a Periphery or poor and underdeveloped states to a core of wealthy states , enriching the latter at the expense of the former. It is a central contention of dependency schools theory that the poor states are impoverished and rich ones enriched by the way poor states are integrated into the world system . The theory arose as a reaction to modernization theory, an earlier theory of development which held that all societies progress through similar stages of development , that todays underdeveloped areas are thus in a similar situation to that of todays developed areas at some time in the past, and that, therefore , the task of helping the underdeveloped areas out of poverty is to accelerate them along this supposed common path of development by various means such as investment , technology and transfers. Dependency theory rejected this view , arguing that the underdeveloped countries are not merely primitive versions of developed countries, but have unique features and structures of their own and importantly are in a situation of being the weaker members in a world market economy

Dependency schools theory no longer has many proponents as an overall theory though some writers have argued for its continuing relevance as a conceptual orientation to the global division of wealth. Dependency theory argues that the worlds present state can be the most validity seen as the outcome of the domination of have over have - not and within nations , by domination of have over have not classes and interests . This is surely not a new idea. What is perhaps new is the acceptance by an increasing number of comparatives that this dichotomy between subordinates amounts to be powerful globally acceptable and exploratory model.

Both present and the past are analyzed using the same framework of explanation. The historical record is read as beginning with a missionary zeal, which was soon transferred into explicit, unabashed colonization. The contemporary scene is characterized by the retreat of classical colonialism and its replacement by more sophisticated insidious colonization . that of the mind and the will. Universities and philanthropic foundations , multilateral and national development agencies , book publishers and mass media organization are all viewed as instruments of oppression. The oppressed peoples have merely exchanged physical for mental domination.