TANZANIA INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTANCY (TIA)
SINGINDA CAMPUS
STUNDENT NAME: JALIA JUMA RAMADHANI
REGSTRATION NUMBER: SGD/BAC/23/122176
COURSE NAME: BAC
SUBJECT NAME: DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
COURSE CODE: GSU 07103
TASK: INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
LECTURER NAME: MS MARY MINJA
QUESTION.
“The application of modernization theory of development in the least development countries prove a
failure in some countries (sub- sub- Saharan countries) and success in some few countries, particularly in
Asian countries”. Discuss the factors behind this situation and suggest solution for those failed states.
Answers.
Modernization theory:- is one of the theories of development which express the
transformational process which enables traditional societies to become modern societies; the theory is
aimed to articulate the problem of development in term of the need to transform the backward
“traditional” of the 3rd world countries economy into modern economy. Most of developed country
especial western country they trying implement modernization theory in sub- Saharan country as to
ensure their economy state are charges to modern economy but failure in some country.
Furthermore theory state that, given the relatively low level of new capital formation in most
of the 3 world countries, they requires massive capital investment through foreign aid for them to develop.
The theory advocate (supports) that the source of underdevelopment in poor countries is internally oriented
than external ones. These include corruptions, good governance and political instability.
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Modernization is associated with the development aid from developed countries. This idea
borrowed from the Marshal Plan of the post-world War II. The Programs such as Structure Adjustment
Program (SAPs), Millennium Development Goal (MDGs), PSRP, LGRP are the product of modernization
theory. Modernization theory is an irreversible process, once started modernization cannot be stopped. It is
evolutionary change and not revolutionary change as dependency theory. It will take years and generation
to complete.
There are several factors that cause failures of modernization theory in sub- Saharan countries and in a
particularly Asian counties as follows
Lack of cultural sensitivity and understanding in the implementation of modernization theories:
- may modernization theories were developed in western countries and were based on western cultural value
and assumptions, which may not be applicable or appropriate in other cultures. Most of sub- Saharan
cultural traditional have lack understanding about modernization those why ignore the modernization
theories and briefs that the western countries use the modernization as to continues with exploitation of
their natural resource. In some case the sub- Saharan countries are right to ignore the modernization theories
because most of western countries their use theories to develop their needs of economically.
Lack of consideration for the economic and political realities of developing countries, the
modernization theories focused on economic development and modernization, but failed to take into
account the specific economic and political conditions in developing countries, most of countries that failed
in modernization theory doesn’t put enough effort to implement modernization in their countries, they not
know the benefits of modernization in their economic changes and politically so the country cannot change
from the old stage to another
Some scholars argue that modernization theory ignored the roles of the state and its role in
development; the argue that development should be driven by the needs and desire of the people, rather
than by outside experts or foreign government through this station leads for fails in modernization in some
sub- Saharan country and in some Asian countries .
Lack of attention to the roles of states, must of developing counties from Asian and southern
sub- Saharan does not interested in implementation of modernization theories which leads to higher causes
to failure of modernization in such country, most of developed country does not give direct support to the
developing country they ignore the roles as to afford the modernization theories but also the developed
countries the not put high priority to support the sub- Saharan countries; they looking for their demand so
became difficult for sub- Saharan countries to implement the modernization.
Low investment in turn means little ability of that country to expand to its productive capacity;
some counties in sub- Saharan their investment is low that may lead modernization theory does not develop
in the countries. Therefore countries of sub- Saharan should invest in order to allow modernization theory
to develop, of cause when the country are poor cannot afford the modernization from the western countries
some time modernization needs high skills like constructions of infrastructure, adaption of skills from other
developed countries.
Lack of technology; some countries in sub-Saharan their technology is very low and to lead
modernization theory does not develop such as people in certain countries lack their skills especially when
they use their technology to improve modernization theory to develop. Therefore technology should be
improved so as to enable modernization theory to develop in sub-Saharan countries, such as use of machine
to produce goods in the industries also the use of computer helps modernization theory to develop.
A part from reasons which cause failure of modernization theory to develop in Sub-Saharan countries also
there are several solution for the development of modernization theory as follows.
Efficiency use of natural resource; the less developed countries are not making the most of
resources are exploiting by the western countries for their of benefits; it better for the developing countries
to find out ways on how to unitized well their resources instead to depends supporting by western countries
which use that as source incomes to their countries, therefore Sub-Saharan countries must be use their
natural resources for their own benefits no other countries to use resources for their own benefits when
people understand it enable modernization theory to develop in the countries.
Investment in education. Sub-Saharan countries must be invest their education especially in
scholarship education in order to avoid the failure of modernization theory to develop, but other countries
does not invest their education people remain unskilled they do not understand the meaning of
modernization. Therefore when people invest in education people may know important things especially
for those who do not know the meaning of modernization and their importance.
Infrastructure development. Improvement of infrastructure in sub- Saharan countries enable
modernization theory to develop, such as railways, roads and so on should be improved in order to enable
them to transport from one place to another through using good infrastructure or to transport their goods
and services from one countries to another. Therefore development of infrastructure in sub- Saharan
countries enable modernization theory to develop
Conflict resolution. Conflict among countries may lead under-development of modernization
theory, conflict it may be political conflict, social conflict, economic conflict and so on those conflicts cause
modernization theory does not develop in sub-Saharan countries, therefore resolution of conflicts among
countries helps us to development modernization theory in the countries, for example when countries
cooperate with other countries and people to live without any fear enable them to allow modernization to
develop in the Sub-Saharan countries, conflict among countries it’s a source of under-development
especially modernization theory.
Institutional strengthening. Countries especially sub-Saharan countries when they improve their
institution also helps modernization theory to develop in the countries. Leadership in a certain countries
should improve their institution, poor leadership in the countries leads under-development of modernization
theory. Straight institution in the sub-Saharan countries helps the development of modernization theory,
therefore strong institution enable modernization theory to develop in Sub-Saharan counties.
Employment of human resources; May less developing countries are faced with serious
unemployment problem. The quality of labor force is also poor, the low level of literacy, malnutrition,
absence of proper medical care and so on. So that the sub-Saharan countries they need to found out skilled
labor especially in human resources department, which will enable the country to rich modernization theory
because with skilled people the sub- Saharan countries will never become modernization as western
countries.
Role of government ;the government must ensure good implementation of modernization theory in
their governance and high priority as a way to ensure modernization are taken place to their society,
therefore government should be responsible to provide people in the countries duties and responsibilities in
order everyone to be responsible in the societies, the government must put roles to implement the
modernization as one of economic activities .
In generally, the failure of modernization theory in least developed countries such as lack of
technology, lack of infrastructure, lack of cultural sensitivity and understanding in the implementation of
modernization theory, lack of consideration for the economic and political realities and their solution such
as efficiency of use natural resources, employment of human resources, role of government, investment in
education, conflict resolution and so on.
References:
Inglehart, R., & Welzel, C. (2005). "Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy: The Human
Development Sequence."
Huntington, S. P. (1968). "Political Order in Changing Societies."
- Rodrik, D. (2011). "The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy."
- Herbst, J. (2000). "States and Power in Africa: Comparative Lessons in Authority and Control."
- Acemoglu, D., & Robinson, J. A. (2006). "Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy."
- Mauro, P. (1998). "Corruption and the Composition of Government Expenditure."
- Khan, M. (2010). "Political Settlements and the Governance of Growth-Enhancing Institutions."
- Barro, R. J., & Lee, J. W. (2013). "A New Data Set of Educational Attainment in the World, 1950–2010."
- Fay, M., et al. (2004). "Infrastructure and Sustainable Development."
- Collier, P. (2007). "The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Fails and What Can Be Done
about It."
- World Bank. (2007). "Social Analysis Sourcebook: Incorporating Social Dimensions into Bank-Supported
Projects."