POLS1701 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Structural Adjustment, Neoliberalism, Local Exchange Trading System
Lecture 3 - 13/03 - Paradoxes
Paradox = contradiction lying in how theory plays out in reality
In era of greatest technical power, so many go hungry - starvation is an institution
Spatial dimensions = comparisons drawn between societies, national development as
measure
temporal = trad. societies framed as living in a past time, idea that societies become
better over time
Modern institutions informed by MT - these have effects on countries development, e.g.
undeveloped countries are risky to invest in
Scarcity is created by development processes
Inequalities end up being worse in more highly developed countries
we are naturalised into thinking of scarcity rather than abundance - dev. then becomes
about how can we become more productive
Scarcity is produced through development
What is valued is a social construct
What is valued becomes scarce
We create scarcity through market logic - benefits producers bc then they can charge
more
trad. societies share (ethic of the commons) - do not aspire to maximise profit - dividual
community
hunter gatherers would not reject new tech., but they did not see it as necessary
Institutional arrangements = the way in which societies organise
common sense logic of competition, private property etc., as opposed to logic of
sharing
LETS (Local Economic Trading Schemes) = locals exchanging services/goods, based
on need - prevalent in Europe etc.
Hunger in the midst of plenty - social exclusion, poverty etc.
World Bank - v. influential, promotes MT
Hunger example:
Nature based approaches = food availability is the problem, rising pop. levels = not
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Paradox = contradiction lying in how theory plays out in reality. In era of greatest technical power, so many go hungry - starvation is an institution. Spatial dimensions = comparisons drawn between societies, national development as measure temporal = trad. societies framed as living in a (cid:1684)past(cid:1685) time, idea that societies become better over time. Modern institutions informed by mt - these have effects on countries development, e. g. undeveloped countries are (cid:1684)risky(cid:1685) to invest in. Inequalities end up being worse in more highly developed countries we are naturalised into thinking of scarcity rather than abundance - dev. then becomes about (cid:1684)how can we become more productive(cid:1685) Institutional arrangements = the way in which societies organise (cid:1684)common sense(cid:1685) logic of competition, private property etc. , as opposed to logic of sharing. Lets (local economic trading schemes) = locals exchanging services/goods, based on need - prevalent in europe etc. Hunger in the midst of plenty - social exclusion, poverty etc.
