The Concept of underdervelopment.

Our knowledge of development and what constitutes it as presented by two schools of thought reviewed above will facilitate our understanding of the concept , underdervelopment. The term underdervelopment as used in the social sciences to refer to certain areas of the world, gained currency in the late 1940's . Prior to this time; time , other derogatory terms had been used to qualify and describe these areas. As Meier has noted , in the 18th century, such terms as "rude" and "barbarous" were used to describe countries in asia , Africa , the Caribbean and Latin America. In the 19th century those terms were dropped in favour of new terms such as backward" and primitive" . In the 20th century, especially after the end of world war II , the previous terms were equally abandoned . In their places new terms such as "underdeveloped" and "developing" were used.

At the moment it has been suggested in some quarters that such terms as "less developed" "developing" "poor" and "emergent" countries should be used instead of underdeveloped countries. The reason any unpleasantness which may be attached to it" and which might be interpreted as inciting such physical deformities as mental and moral underdervelopment.
It has also been suggested that the previous derogatory terms should be dropped in favour of less offensive or mild ones such as "developing" or "emergent". This is perceived by Marxist scholars as a calculated design or ploy by the west to mask and or camouflage economic stagnation and exploitation that exist in underdeveloped areas.


It is contended. For instance, that the application of such terms as "developing" instead of "underdeveloped" gives an erroneous impression that these countries are changing positively and thus are developing ; and that if the right policies are implemented, sooner or later these countries will definitely catch up with the developed countries of the world. In view of this assumption, the marxist theorists prefer to use the term "underdevelopement" to describe the less developed parts of the world . The reason For this is that the term "underdevelopement" is believed to be the best concept that can aptly describe the state of stagnation and exploitation that is prevalent in these societies. let us now examine the meaning of the concept , underdervelopment.

Underdevelopement : The Liberal Perspective.

The Liberal scholars conceive of underdevelopement in terms of backwardness and primitivity. This explains why it is common for them to use such terms as "agrarian" and "pre-industrial" to imply underdevelopement is not caused by any external factors but rather is induced by internal variables.
Relating to the above is the alternative explanation which is equally offered to support the view that underdervelopment are natural processes ordained by God. It is contended that the developed parts of the world have been endowed by God with wisdom and high intelligence quotient, This explains why they are superior and advanced On the other hand , the same God is said to have created the Underdeveloped societies differently, He makes them to be culturally and psychologically inferior which is said to be responsible for their state of backwardness.


It is important to state that even though the Bourgeois scholars are agreed on the fact that underdevelopement is caused by natural and internal forces, there is no agreement with respect to which internal variables actually bring it about . According to Ragnar Nurke, In his work, Problems of capital accumulation in poor countries.
A country is backward and poor because it is Poor.
This Represents a vicious circle of poverty that "runs from low income to low savings to low investment to low productivity and then back to low real income." In his own, contribution. (Richard easterlin) Attributed underdevelopement to the Climate , over population and lack of motivation on the part of the population.
Other scholars still blame the situation on racial grounds. Peasant conservatism, strong attachment to tribal customs such as extended family and land-tenure system.
In view of the fact that bOurgeois scholars attribute underdervelopment to internal factors, this has influenced how they define it. According to them , it can be defined as a natural state of social psychological , political and economic backwardness occasioned by natural and internal milieu. This Definition leads the liberal scholars to postulate that the way out of backwardness is through moderniZation. That is "Europeanization" or "americanization" of the Traditional sectors of the economy in order to stimulate growth and progress.

Underdevelopement - the marxist Perspective.
To the Radical Scholars , it is untrue that underdevelopement connotes backwardness , primitivity or lack of development. This is "because every people have developed in one way or the other and to a greater of lesser extent". Equally untrue is the assertion that it is a natural process. To the radical Scholars then , underdevelopement is a man -made process and a manifestation of the long period of economic and political relationships between these countries and advanced industrialized parts of the world.

Quite unlike the bourgeois scholars who claim that capitalism played no part in the creation of underdevelopement but natural and internal forces , the radical scholars think differently. The Thesis of dependency theorists is that underdevelopement is caused by capitalism . This Position has been supported not only empirically but by logical and factual presentation of concrete evidence. For instance , while supporting the view that underdevelopement is caused by the interplay between internal and external structures, Gunder Frank asserts that:
"Underdevelopement is not simply non-development, but is a unique type of socioeconomic structure brought about by the integration of the society concerned into the sphere of the advanced capitalist countries"

It is the view of the radical scholars that it is the same process that fosters development in the industrialized parts of the world which foils development and generates underdervelopment in the third world countries. Put in another way, the integration of third world countries. Put in another way , the integration of third world countries into the mainstream of world capitalism has enhanced the rate of development in the first world and at the same time led to underdevelopement in the third world. This position has been beautifully articulated by Osvaldo Sunkel when he observes

"We postulate that development and underdevelopement are the two faces of the same universal process... And that its geographic expression is translated into two polarizations: on the one hand the polarizations of the world between, industrial , advanced , developed and metropolitan countries , and underdeveloped, backward,poor , peripheral and dependent countries in terms of space , backward,primitive within countries in terms of space , Backward , primitive , marginal and dependent groups and activities."

Similar views have been expressed by other eminent scholars of the Marxist Persuasion. The Most forceful among them are (Jaguaribe, Celso, Rodney, Frank, Dos Santos and Cohen)
Have argued though with different emphasis that foreign penetration is the cause of underdevelopement.
Arising from This premise , they contend that underdevelopement is the state of backwardness , retardation and economic Distortion, caused bt the exploitation and plunder of the economics of developing areas as a result of their integration into world Capitalism. This Perception of underdervelopment has led Rodney to assert that:
"A second and even more indispensable component Of modern underdevelopement is that if expresses a particular relationship of exploitation: namely , exploitation of one country by another. All of the countries named "underdeveloped" are exploited by others and underdevelopement with which the world is now pre-occupied is a product of capitalism."

From our discussion so far on the concept of underdervelopment have seen that the terms has been used and defined differently by both the liberal and radical scholars . The way these schools defined it is apparently influenced by what they think causes undevelopment. While the liberal views on underdervelopment is that it is an artificial process caused by the exploitation of country by another. Our kNowledge of underdevelopement should place us in vantage pedestal To understand the concept of "Third World".

The Concept of Third World.
The Term "third world" as used in the lexicon of political science is indicative that there exists the "first", "second " "third" perhaps The "forth" worlds. Of course , there exists such worlds if the term "world" is used to explain the level of economic advancement as well as industrialization that exist in different parts of the world. But the application of such terms as "highly Developed" and "highly industrialized" to describe economic giants in western Europe, Japan and America on the one hand and the use of "developed" and industrialized" to refer to Russia, China, Poland , Yugoslavia, (etc) On the other , has eclipsed the application of First and second worlds."

It has been argued that the use of the term "third world" to describe the afro-asian and Latin American Group of independent countries is inappropriate. This is because the level of economic and industrial development in these countries are not at the same pace.
In reality some of them are so poor and can readily fit into what Franrz Fanon calls "the Wretched of the Earth". At the same time some of them have witnessed relative level of economic and industrial growth. Given the fact that the rate of industrialization in the third world countries is not uniform, and in view of the fact that some countries like Nigeria, Brazil , the Republic of south Africa, Egypt , taiwan and South Korea are making more progress than Chad , Burkina Faso, Niger, mali , Central African republic (etc) it is , Suggested that a review of the states lumped as "third world" countries is imperative . Accordingly , it has been strongly advocated that all the least developed countries should be classified as the fourth World. At the same time , those Group of States that show feasible sign of Economic growth and industrialization should retain the tag "third World".

The Alternative view is that countries within the third world who are making substantial progress in terms of industrialization, growth , science, equitable distribution of income and high per capita income , should be termed "emergent". Or developing" countries. the rest should remain in the Third World Orbit. The above observations notwithstanding, we will proceed to examine the concept of the third world both in the liberal as well as Marxist Conceptualizations.
The term "third world". As used by the bourgeois/liberal theorists refers to underdeveloped as well as developing countries in asia . Africa, latin america and the Caribbean whose economics are generally characterized by extremely low standard of living . It also refers to those countries that are still grappling with the problems of development after independence has been achieved.

Third World: marxist perspective

The radical scholars see no wisdom in the division of the globe into groups of countries based on economic potentials as well as development attainment. This explains why they condemn such a stance as being immoral and derogatory.
In marxist perception, labeling such as "emergent" , "developing" "third " , and "fourth" imply the same thing. They all represent those countries on the surface of the earth that have been exploited by the americans and europeans. Rodney sums up this point when he says that: "All countries named as underdeveloped" in the world are exploited by others..."Rodney . Thus instead of using the term , "third world" , radical scholars prefer the use of such terms as "satellite" and "periphery" to describe the exploited societies. This is to say that, the term "third world" is for the bourgeois scholars what "satellite" or "periphery" is to the radical scholars.

Major Characteristics of third world Countries.

The major Distinguishing features of the third
world countries as noted by dankwart A. Rustow are:
-a) Hugh Birth Rates
-b) Poor Communication Network;
-c) Meager Rate of Capital Formation;
-d) Low rate of industrial Development and
-e) Preponderance of mining over industry and service trade

In view of (F. Sauvy) , the Underlying features of this group are:
1. Short Life expectancy:
2. High Birth rate
3. Malnutrition
4. Meager Capital supply and unemployment:
4. Meager Capital supply and unemployment:
5. High illiteracy Rate
6. Low status for women
7. Dominance of agricultural sector
8. Rudimentary Middle Class and
9. Political Authoritarianism.

F.X Sutton has provided more concrete features of the third world countries . He uses purely political /social matrix to characterize them as follows:

-i ) predominance of ascriptive, particuliaristic , diffuse patterns;

-ii) Stable local groups and limited spatial mobility;

-iii) relative simple and stable "occupational" differentiation and

-iv) "differential" Stratification system of diffused impact.

Another important feature that gives a useful insight into what constitute third world countries related to food intake in these societies. In the "advanced" societies each individual takes at least 3,000 calories of food per day whereas in third world countries , citizens consume below 1,200 calories each day. In addition, citizens of this part of the earth suffer from "protein famine" as a Result of consumption of greater percentage of carbohydrate at the expense of proteinous foods.
The above distinguishing features of third world countries should not be used to draw a conclusion that all the citizens in these areas are not poor. The true position remains that in most of the Third World countries , urban centers that exhibit modern features exist side by side with isolated communities that are backward and poor. The crucial determinant whether or not a country belongs to the fold of the third world is the extent to which the identified features exist .

Reference:

O.O Okereke & A.E Ekpe -2002
Development and underdevelopment: politics of the north-south divide