Modernisation & Dependency Theory: A Comparison and Contrast

This report compares and contrasts modernisation and dependency theory, highlighting their views on international relations and development. The modernisation theory focuses on the importance of developing mutual cooperation between developing and developed countries, while the dependency theory highlights the reliance of developing nations on Western nations. Both theories aim to understand the current trends of international relations and future perspectives of the world. The report also discusses their usefulness in understanding global inequality.

MODERNISATION &
DEPENDENCY THEORY

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Comparison & Contrast in Modernization & Dependency Theory.................................................1
Theory useful in Global Inequality..................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................4

Introduction
With the rapid development of the world and the growing integration of the country, there are
very brisk development in past times. The report will focus on the modernization and
dependency theory which will highlight on the similarities and the differences between them.
The theories throw the light on views of the modern world with the relationship and differences
between the Third World Nations and developing countries. The concept of development is
about focusing on the processes of transforming from traditional or underdeveloped society to a
modern western societies way of life. The modernization is a development process which is
followed by western countries at the time of development.
Comparison & Contrast in Modernization & Dependency
Theory
There have been differences between the Modernization Theory and Dependency Theory where
it is found that both of them are antagonistic to each other, regarding the views of international
relationship and the development of world. The major differences are between the theories when
it comes about the relation between the developed and the developing nation (Shannon, 2018).
According to Modernization Theory, the western ways of development are found to be mainly
successful and then they are thriving to support the perspectives that there is no alternative for
the development. Hence, the focus is on the importance of developing a mutual cooperation in
between the developing and developed countries. The modernization of developing countries
politically and socio-economically helps in taking examples of western countries which is the
only key to solve the problems related to the backwardness of developing or poor countries.

The Dependency Theory is for striking contrast and highlighting the association between the
developed and developing nations which is not only for the mutual assistance between them that
keeps on growing (Gereffi, 2017). It is about the reliance of developing nations on Western
nations. Hence, to elaborate the fact, it is seen that the Western countries are developed in a
much better manner than the Third World Countries. The countries are forces to choose the way
of development and not willing to choose or follow the developed countries as in the example of
development. This is a part of world community to avoid the isolation of nation and is seen at a
higher level of intervention in the policies. Therefore, the supporters believe that Western
Countries tend to impose policies with rules on developing nations. It depicts about the Third
World countries which are being forced to follow and there are disobedience which can lead to
the cancellation of economic sanctions (Mahoney & Rodríguez, 2016). Hence, the theory
competency opposes the development in the western manner. They tend to believe that such
growing dependence is on the developed countries which makes the socio-economic
breakthrough possible.
Both the theories state that there are experiences of developed countries which is followed by
developing and undeveloped countries with developing a direction for the same. The developed
countries play a major role with integration of countries in world in global economy that is
considered to be a major way of interaction. Apart from this, the theories also state about the
experiences of western nations which is being followed by developing nations. The experiences
which are developed are unable to catch up with the faster development trends of the developed
countries (Arango, 2017). The theories pay a lot of attention to the gap and then the theory
standards on ground that Western countries are the world leaders with high level of development,
that affects the life, including the economic, political, social and cultural life.

Considering the differences, it is important to focus that modernization theory is about how the
western countries are well-developed and then highlighting on the successful perspectives where
there are no alternatives to way of development (Midgley, 2016). It also highlights about the
necessity of borrowing the experiences of western countries where the example is of more
developed western countries.
The theory of modernization helps in setting the structural inequality which is a natural part of
inorganic body of society with industrial revolution that tends to serve as a demonstration of
power. The arguments are about how the principles of historical materialism helps in specifying
that the societies tend to become capitalist before they are further going into the transformation
to socialism (Kenworthy & Verbeke, 2015). The major impact of the theory highlights on
transformation from traditional to modern society with institutional change from top down. The
modernization helps in seeing traditionalism and modernity as poles and in zero-sum relation
with one other. Here, the dependency theory is about political and economical functionality
where the impact is on developing countries. This means that the theories are set parallel in this
fact.
Theory useful in Global Inequality
The dependency theory helps in explaining about underdeveloped state of nations in world with
properly examining the patterns of interactions among the nations. It then argues about inequality
among nations. The theory aims to reduce and completely eliminate the oppression and poverty,
in order to improve the human conditions. It is important to mention that the theories are able to
understand the current trends of international relations with future perspectives of the word. This
will help in assessing the current situation between the developed and undeveloped countries.

The theory of dependency does not view the choice of favor of western way of development
from all problems but includes the westernization of developing countries which is viewed as a
violent interference (Bossert, 2018). The policy leads to the growing dependency of developing
countries on developed ones, which then makes the socio-economic breakthrough, difficult.
Considering the modernization theory, which highlights the deficiencies that are to be seen in the
developed countries, led to the failure of the countries to modernize. There are limitations that
the theory fails to see the interests of how the developed and developing countries are different
with inequality that is considered to be a key feature, which denies the country for any
modernization. Considering the commonality shared by the theories, there are relationships
which are maintained between the developed and developing world (Kelly, 2017). Here, the
theories tend to construct the arguments which are based on changing the economic and social
capacities, priorities and the chances. The commonality can be exposed as the observation of
developmental theory.
Conclusion
The theories are sharply holding different perspectives that seek to explain the same reality. The
modernization theory posits that the countries are mainly going through different evolutionary
stages and that industrialization and improved technologies are considered to be the key for
forward movements. The dependency is on seeing the modernization theory as Eurocentric and
patronizing which helps in providing the valuable insights into underdevelopment. They provide
a cautionary take in dangers for attempting to create universal theories. The dependency is based
on classical economic theory where the individuals are rationalized economic actors who are
different in behavior and situation.

References
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Mahoney, J. and Rodríguez-Franco, D., (2016). Dependency Theory. In The Oxford Handbook
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Shannon, T.R., (2018). An introduction to the world-system perspective. Routledge.