World Politics in a New Era World Politics

World Politics in a New Era World Politics: Development

What Development Means • Developed and developing states have different views • The goals of development are constantly shifting • Measuring development is problematic – Example: China

Human and Social Development • The UN’s Millennium Development Goals for 2015 – – – – Poverty Education Gender equality Child mortality Maternal health HIV/AIDs and other diseases Environmental stability • International campaign to reduce the poorest countries’ debt burdens – G-8 leaders agreement at the 2005 Gleneagles

Civil Society and Development • Politically active, issue-organized public – Internationally civil society is comprised of NGOs, MNCs, and other nonstate actors – Domestically civil society includes all kinds of groups other than government itself • Several theories focus on the impact civil society has on development

Modernization Theory • Economic, political, and cultural conditions within states • LDCs will develop only by shedding their traditional social, political, and economic institutions • The fundamental obstacle to development is traditional culture • Trade is seen as the engine of growth

Modernization Theory • Social impact – Demographic transition and urbanization – Views urbanization as an essential step in development – The city becomes the focus of the diffusion of new ideas, of science and technology, and of social mobility

Critiques of Modernization Theory • Questions concerning the duplication of earlier paths • Traditional social and political institutions are difficult to change • The theory is Eurocentric • The current international economic system is biased towards developed states

Political Development • Takes a more narrow view of development • Lack of consensus on which regime type is considered the most developed • Use of democratization as measure • Political rights and civil liberties • Political beliefs and values represent a social framework

Political Development • Almond and Verba (1963) – Individual’s behavior was socialized • Additional theories of political culture – Patterns of individual orientations (behavioralism) – Material interests and social class (materialism) – Culture as a consequence of rational decisions – Identity politics

Political Development • Ronald Inglehart – Link between economic development and democracy • Robert Putnam – Development of civil society • Amy Chua – Development leads to adjustments in political culture • Constructivists – Unified understanding and interpretation of politics among states’ elites – Political culture drives the process of development

Economic Development • Dependency theory – Systemic level of analysis – The structure of the world economy – Inherently biased against poor countries – Developing countries are dependent on exports of primary products – Economies are highly vulnerable to price fluctuations

Economic Development • Dependency Theory – Unequal terms of trade – Complaints against MNCs avoid paying their share of taxes Inappropriate technology transferred to the region MNCs do not bring capital into LDCs Control and manipulate the production of primary commodities • Creating a neocolonial situation • •

Economic Development • Critiques of Dependency Theory – It has been proven false – The plight of primary product exporters may not be as bad as originally claimed – It ignores factors within the developing countries

Domestic-Economic Development Theories • Import-substitution Industrialization (ISI) – Encourages domestic production of goods traditionally imported • Export-led industrialization – Promotes industrialization through trade • The Washington Consensus – “Shock therapy” – Rapid economic growth followed for many but at certain costs – Sent many countries on a roller-coaster ride

Systemic-Domestics • Structural adjustment programs (SAPs) – Focus of the World Bank – Intended to lower LDCs’ government debts – Failed to take into account domestic economic, social, and political concerns – Failed to consider the environmental impact of their policies – SAPs were replaced with the Comprehensive Development Framework

Development Today • The World Bank and the IMF have implemented “greener” policies • Institutions and states are turning to two factors: – Technology • Opportunities for economic and political development • Examples: mobile phones and the Green Revolution – Microfinance • Promotes development from the bottom up • Focuses on the poorest of the poor

Corruption versus Courage • Corruption stifles development – Institutionalized (Example: Russia) – Socialized (Example: Colombia) – Always comes down to the individual (Example: Mohamed Suharto) • Spans economics, politics, security, and human welfare