GPD T1

Theories of Development - Modernization, Dependency, World-Systems, Postcolonial, Neoliberal, Sustainable

Causes of Poverty - Inherent Individual Traits, Contingent Individual Characteristics, Social Causes, Inherent Properties of the Social System, Consequence of Global Economic Structures

Perspectives on Poverty - Basic Needs, Lack of Income, Social Exclusion, Sustainable Livelihoods, Human Development

Schools of Thinking on Globalization - Skeptics, Hyperglobalists, Transformationalists (Giddens & Sutton)

Poverty as the Result of Inherent Individual Traits - Assumes poverty is based on demographics (race, gender, heritage), which are not reasonable measures of capabilities or mental capacity.

Poverty as a Byproduct of Contingent Individual Characteristics - Attributes poverty to personal failings like lack of motivation and fortitude to improve life conditions rather than external barriers.

Poverty as a By-product of Social Causes - Due to diminished opportunities through industrialization, deindustrialization, or lack of access to roles within the economy. Overlooks how capitalists benefit from high unemployment and an available labor surplus.

Poverty as a Result of the Inherent Properties of the Social System - Structural institutions like apartheid or Jim Crow leave people in a condition of perpetual poverty by legally and economically restricting access to wealth-building opportunities (e.g., education, homeownership, land rights).

Poverty as a Consequence of Global Economic Structures - The global economy operates in a way that disproportionately benefits wealthier nations and multinational corporations while keeping poorer nations and marginalized groups in cycles of debt and dependency (e.g., IMF/World Bank structural adjustment programs, unfair trade agreements).

Basic Needs - Defined by deprivation of essentials (food, water, shelter, healthcare). Focuses on survival rather than long-term well-being. Solutions: Humanitarian aid, social programs, and infrastructure investment.

Lack of Income - Defined by earning below a set poverty line. Measured by wages, household income, and economic productivity. Solutions: Job creation, wage increases, social safety nets.

Social Exclusion - Marginalization from economic, political, and social life. Affects vulnerable groups (e.g., racial minorities, disabled individuals). Solutions: Anti-discrimination policies, education access, community programs.

Sustainable Livelihoods - Focuses on long-term economic stability and resilience. Includes access to land, resources, and employment opportunities. Solutions: Microfinance, land reforms, local business support.

Human Development - Based on expanding freedoms and capabilities (Amartya Sen). More than income—it includes education, health, and empowerment. Solutions: Investment in education, healthcare, and social mobility programs.

Modernization Theory - Societies develop in stages from "traditional" to "modern."

Dependency Theory - Poor nations are underdeveloped due to exploitation by wealthy nations.

World-Systems Theory - The global economy is divided into core, semi-periphery, and periphery nations.

Neoliberalism - Free markets, privatization, and deregulation drive economic growth.

Postcolonial Theory - Colonial legacies shape modern development and power imbalances.

Sustainable Development Theory - Development should balance economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

Skeptics - Argue that globalization is overstated and that the world is still divided into distinct national economies.

Hyperglobalists - Believe that globalization is a profound and irreversible trend that is reshaping the world economy.

Transformationalists - Suggest that globalization is a complex process that can alter social and economic structures but does not necessarily lead to uniform outcomes.

Walt Rostow - Modernization Theory (Stages of Economic Growth).

Frantz Fanon - Decolonial Theory; psychological effects of colonization (*The Wretched of the Earth*).

Modernization Theory +- - + Explains economic growth patterns | - Eurocentric, ignores colonial history

Dependency Theory +- - + Highlights global exploitation | - Too deterministic, assumes all poor nations are victims

World-Systems Theory +- - + Shows global economic inequality | - Rigid categories, ignores local agency

Neoliberalism +- - + Promotes economic efficiency | - Increases inequality, weakens public services

Postcolonial Theory +- - + Challenges Western dominance in development | - Abstract, lacks clear policy solutions

Sustainable Development Theory +- - + Balances multiple factors in development | - Hard to implement effectively

globalization - Process by which countries and cultures become increasingly interconnected across dimensions like: political, cultural, information/technology and military