Topic Summaries

Development, underdevelopment, and global inequality

A-Level > Sociology > AQA > A Level Sociology Topic Summaries > Global development > Development, underdevelopment, and global inequality
Previous Module
Next Module

Exam overview
  • Modernisation theory: (👤 Rostow, 1960)
    • Development occurs in five stages: Traditional Society, Preconditions for Take-off, Take-off, Drive to Maturity, Age of High Mass Consumption.
    • Modernisation requires Western-style institutions, education, technology, and cultural change.
      • Ethnocentric view that ignores colonialism, dependency, and structural inequality.
  • Dependency theory: (👤 Frank, 1969, 👥 Prebisch and Singer, 1950)
    • Underdevelopment is actively created by exploitation from developed nations.
    • Core nations extract surplus from the periphery via unequal trade, investment, and debt.
    • Import substitution industrialisation (ISI) can counter this.
      • Overemphasises external causes, underplays internal governance and corruption.
  • World-systems theory: (👤 Wallerstein, 1974)
    • The global economy is divided into Core, Semi-Periphery, and Periphery.
    • Core countries exploit peripheral labour and resources through unequal exchange.
    • Semi-periphery countries act as a buffer between core and periphery countries.
      • Lacks clear solutions, slow to explain mobility between zones.
  • Capabilities approach: (👤 Sen, 1979)
    • Development means expanding freedoms and capabilities such as education, health, and participation, rather than simply raising GDP.
      • Strong human-centred framework, but less specific on economic growth strategy.
  • Neoliberalism: (👤 Friedman, 1957)
    • Advocates for deregulation, privatisation, and free trade to promote growth.
    • Argues state intervention distorts markets.
      • Can increase efficiency and growth in some sectors, but may deepen inequality and weaken social protection.
  • Postdevelopment: (👤 Escobar, 1995)
    • Argues ‘development’ is a Western discourse.
    • Promotes local, community-led, and indigenous knowledge-based alternatives.
      • Risks romanticising local systems and ignoring the benefits of largescale infrastructure.

Unlock Development, underdevelopment, and global inequality

Subscribe to SnapRevise+ to get immediate access to the rest of this resource.

Premium accounts get immediate access to this resource.

Previous Module
Next Module