CAUSES OF UNDERDEVELOPMENT AND CONCEPTS FOR
DEVELOPMENT
AN INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT THEORIES
By DR. FRITHJOF KUHNEN*
The Journal of Institute of Development
Development Studies, Studies, NWFP Agricultural
Vol. VIII, 1986,1987 University, Peshawar.
INTRODUCTION
Since the end of World War II, we have been experiencing
a worldwide struggle for the improvement of living conditions
in the so-called developing countries. At the beginning, there
was little query as to the causes of underdevelopment; the
newly independent countries as well as United Nations bodies
and industrialized countries tried to promote development
by applying measures like the introduction of know-how through
the assignment of experts, the expansion of education, the
development of infrastructure, etc., i.e., they followed the
example of the industrialized countries. In the course of
time it became obvious that this was more or less a treatment
of symptoms instead of causes, and the gap gradually widened
between the developed and less developed countries of this
world.
During the early period of development efforts there was
little discussion on the historical causes and the real nature
of underdevelopment. Theoretical considerations at this time
of "cold war" explained the situation of underdevelopment
and the path for development from the viewpoint of western
or socialist metropoles. Only in more recent times has the
viewpoint of developing countries gained momentum in development
theory. This has great practical implications: development
theory offers the justification for policies. The answer to
the question "What is development?" determines which
strategies, policies, projects, what type of industry, or
what organization of agriculture should be considered to be
in line with development goals or detrimental to these. Different
positions in development policy are based on differences in
underlying development theories.
There are a great number of explanations for underdevelopment
and concepts of development. This paper tries to introduce
the reader to the most important theoretical explanations
of underdevelopment and development without aiming at completeness.
As regards its presentation, there are several possibilities
of organizing the paper. Some authors organize the theories
along the scientific disciplines which are basic for the analysis
and differentiate between economic theories, sociological
theories, demographic theories, climate theories, etc.* (BOHNET
3). Others differentiate between socialistic and market-economy
oriented theories because these two groups have a different
way of analysing and diagnosing the causes of underdevelopment,
and they are distinct as to their opinion on the possibilities
of reform or revolution with a view to influencing the development
process (KEBSCHULL 11). In this paper, the theories are organized
according to their basic conception of the causes of underdevelopment.
* The author is Professor and Director, Institute of Rural
Development University of Goettingen, West Germany.
* Demographic and climate thories are not dealt with in this
paper because of their lesser importance.
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