POLSCI 1AB3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Andre Gunder Frank, Dependency Theory, Human Development Index
17 May 2017
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Document Summary
According to dependency theory, underdeveloped states are underdeveloped because of the structure of the world economy. The cause of underdevelopment is the international system, not internal domestic factors. Global capitalism creates the conditions for development and underdevelopment simultaneously: global capitalism development some states (the north) while simultaneously under developing other states (the south) Historical example of the atlantic triangle in the 16th-19th century: no way for autonomous development to occur. The question is, just how pervasive is the underdevelopment mechanism in history. Does the atlantic triangle of the 16th century repeat itself in subsequent centuries: if we look at the global economy what is being traded is different but there is still a division of labour. According to dependency theorists like andre gunder frank, exploitation continues, even while the items being traded may change: the products being traded may change but the north is still extracting wealth from the south.
