Development models
Development models
• A model is a simple way of explaining events in reality
.Some geographical models you may have encountered
already are the hydrological cycle and the demographic
transition model .
• A model usually contains a set of rules or statements
which can be used to explain different situations
• Development models and theories try to explain and
predict how:
• National economies develop (or not ) over time
• Obstacles to development can be identified and overcome
• Governments can develop appropriate development
policies
Rostow’s model of
economic growth(1950s)
• Walt Rostow was an American economist
who proposed a model of economic growth
in 1955. Was based on modernization
(economic growth, technology and
industrialization) and capitalism(economy
based on private ownership or making profit
). This is a Western model of development
where development was seen purely as
economic growth
Rostow’s model of development
This model
Preconditions for
identifies 5 stages Traditional society
take -off
of development:
Mass
Drive to maturity
consumption(high)
Traditional society
• Every society starts off as underdeveloped ,traditional
society.
• Subsistence agriculture where people produce only
enough to survive (primary activity)
• Hunter gatherers
• Natural resources provided for their basic needs
• Home industries
• Little technology /capital for development (labour
intensive)
• Balance between population and resources
Preconditions for take-off
• Formal economy starts to develop ,commercial
agriculture, technology and infrastructure
improve(roads and railways developed )
• Export of natural resources driven by external
demand
• Exchange of goods for cash
• Agriculture becomes more commercialized and
industrialized (better methods to produce surplus )
• Markets develop due to more investment
• Population grows and people start moving to towns
and cities
Take –off
RIP
Take –off
• Manufacturing industries develop ,sustained
economic growth ,economy continues to develop
and expand ,transport and infrastructure improve.
• Processing raw materials
• Infrastructure develops
• Industry confined to nodal points
• Market expands ,exporting and importing
• Industrialisation increases and so do industries
• Local resources are intensely used and an increase in
secondary and tertiary sector.
Take- off
• Manufacturing is the main economic activity
• Manufacturing is situated in industrial zones
Drive to maturity
• Economy matures economic growth spreads throughout the country
and so do industrialisation and urbanisation(spread of
development).
• Long time of consistent economic growth and wide use of modern
technology
• Capital is available and stimulates economic growth
• Labour moves from primary and secondary sector to tertiary sector
• Various types of industries develop
• Market economy creates a multiplier effect
• Large scale development on social development (schools, clinics,
medicine, health, insurance etc)
Mass consumption
• An advanced highly-developed
industrial economy where the tertiary
sector expands
• The economy is consumer orientated
• Mass production
• Production line
• Mass consumption
• Greed
• Waste
• Huge growth of tertiary and service
sector
Limitations/criticisms
• Rostow based his model on West European countries
(Eurocentric). Not all countries in the world will necessarily
go through each of the 5 stages ,nor see capitalism,
industrialisation and modernisation as the ideal
development path.
• Many countries in the world despite time and huge amounts
of money spent have remained at stage 1
• The focus is on economic growth : to what extent does
social and human development take place. Biggest criticism
• Model outlines countries that have a typical pattern of
colonialism
• Model does not fit African countries –colonialism kept
African countries underdeveloped
Core –periphery model
Core- periphery model
• This model was developed by Friedmann .This
theory stated that economic growth is
concentrated in dominant core areas(MEDCs)
and the less developed periphery depends on
the core(LEDCs).
• His model progresses through four stages of
development .
• The model is useful as the principles can be
applied to both a local and a global scale
Core-periphery model
• Core-periphery model- model to explain economic, political, and /or
cultural power is spatially distributed as dominant ,economically
powerful core countries and marginal or dependant semi-periphery
or periphery countries.
• Core: urban, highly industrialised ,powerful governments ,financial
power.
• Periphery: primary sector economy, economic instability ,little
military power, brain drain ,low wages
• Semi periphery: characteristics of both
Core-periphery model
Limitations of the
model
• Core regions grow at the expense of the
peripheral regions
• Higher wages are earned in the core regions while
in periphery ,owing to the lack of employment
opportunities ,wages are kept low.
• Areas decline due to exhaustion of resources
because of industrial demand
• Uneven development occurs
• This model represents a capitalist model of
development.
• This model is essentially resource and
economically driven and does not address the
needs of an equal society