Theory of the dependence

The theory of the dependence is a theory of the field of the Social sciences (Sociologie, Histoire and economy) which supports that poverty, the political instability and the underdevelopment of the Pays of the South are the consequence of historical process set up by the Pays of North having like result the economic dependence of the countries of the South.

Impossibility for the countries of the south of developing was contradicted by the history with economic takeoff of the 4 dragons in the Sixties and of China and India since the Eighties. This theory naturally fell in disuse.

Comprehensive view and holist

Very influential in the years 1960 to 1970, the theory of the dependence supports a comprehensive view and holist of the social, world policy and economic Histoire. This theory advances that the poorest countries need richest in order to making sure of the continuity of their growth.

Conceived in the years 1950, at the time of a phase of toughening of the comprehension of the international reports/ratios and development, this theory is then opposed to the Théorie modernization or industrialization which claims that the countries are at a lower stage of their development or that these countries are not integrated in the total economy. For the theory of the dependence, these countries are integrated but are structurally put in a state of dependence continues while applying, for example, the prohibition of the national production of products having to be bought near the colonial companies.

For Andre Gunder Frank, the dependence of the countries of the south is explained historically by colonization (Asia, Africa, Latin America for example) and by the unequal commercial exchanges (by the companies like the Compagnie Dutchwoman of the Eastern Indies or the English Compagnie of the Eastern Indies). For the Argentinian economist Raúl Prebisch, the enrichment of the rich countries is inversely proportional to that of the poor countries. For the theorists of the dependence, it is currently impossible that the countries of the south develop since the development of the countries of north rests on the underdevelopment of those of the south.

Dynamic power stations

Although there exists however of many divergences between the theorists of the dependence, all joint the dynamic following ones:

the poorest countries are in the obligation to provide natural resources or cheap labor to the richest countries. These obligations are the result of the history of colonization.
the richest countries set up a whole of constraints (legal, financial techniques and others) which made the countries poorest dependant. These constraints are, inter alia, the result of a defective technology transfer between the exporting rich countries of technology and the poor countries of the south which are deprived by it.

Criticisms of the theory of the dependence

The critics of the theories of the dependence affirm that this one underestimates the part played by the elites and local economies in the chronic underdevelopment of these countries. These criticisms show for example the part played by the corruption or the absence of culture of commercial competition.

Others critical affirm that the theory of the dependence is too general and this one sufficiently did not analyze the disparities of the development between the countries of the south.

Theorists of the dependence

alphabetically, nonexhaustive

Samir Amin, Sergio Bagú, Andre Gunder Frank, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Celso Furtado, Raúl Prebisch, Dieter Senghaas, Immanuel Wallerstein

See too

Random links: