Midterm Reviewer - The Contemporary World

Midterm Reviewer: The Contemporary World
CHAPTER II: THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Millenium Sustainable THEORIES OF GLOBAL STRATIFICATION

Development Goals Development Goals
(MDG) (SDG) A. Modernization theory
Time Frame 2000-2015 2015-2030 • Modernization theory argues that the tension between tradition
and technological change is the biggest barrier to growth.
Committed 189 193
Countries 2 historical events attributed to the rapid growth of Europe:
Number of Goals 8 17 1. Columbian Exchange: This refers to the spread of goods,
Target 21 (Developing 169 (Entire World, technology and diseases between the Americas and Europe
Countries, particularly both the rich and poor) after the so-called “discovery of the Americas”
the poorest)
2. Industrial Revolution (18th-19th century): This is when new
technologies, like steam power and mechanization, allowed
• According to the United Nations (as cited in Shangquan, 2000), “ countries to replace human labor with machines and increase
economic globalization refers to the increasing productivity.
interdependence of world economies as a result of the
growing scale of cross-border trade of commodities and services, Walt Rostow’s four stages of modernization
flow of international capital, and wide and rapid spread of 1. Traditional Stage
technologies.” 2. Take-Off Stage
3. Drive to Technological Maturity
Two types of economies associated with economic globalization: 4. High Mass Consumption
1. PROTECTIONISM- a policy of systematic government Criticisms:

intervention in foreign trade with the objective of encouraging domestic • It is just a new name for the idea that capitalism is the only way
production. for a country to develop.
Forms of protectionism • It sweeps a lot of historical factors under the rug.
1. Quota • It is seen as “blaming the victim.”
2. Tariffs
3. Embargo B. DEPENDENCY THEORY
4. Subsidy • Initially developed by Hans Singer and Raul Prebisch in the
1950s
2. LIBERALIZATION- based from the neoliberal principle • Rather than focusing on what poor countries are doing wrong,
of Keynes, that is, a country should encourage free flow of goods dependency theory focuses on how poor countries have been
and services. wronged by richer nations.
• This theory argues that global stratification starts with is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is
colonialism. not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a
time…….Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.”
Basis: Atlantic Slave Trade
• European landowners needed a large supply of workers on In simpler definition, poverty means not having the opportunities and
American plantations; thus, to meet their growing labor needs, choices which open up a better future.
Europeans enslaved millions of Africans in forced labor in the
Americas. Types of Poverty
1. Absolute Poverty
C. WORLD SYSTEMS THEORY 2. Relative Poverty
• Developed by Immanuel Wallerstein
• Argues that the world system is established on a 3-level THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS OF POVERTY
hierarchy. Under this system, some countries benefit while
others are being taken advantage of. A. RATIONALIST THEORY OF POVERTY: Poverty is the result of
• IN GENERAL, the peripheral serve the interests of the wealthier decisions made by people who, while acting in an individually
countries and end up having little to no resources to put forward intentional and rational manner, generate socially irrational
their own development. outcomes at a collective level.
• The development of the peripheral countries; therefore, is
stagnant because of the exploitative nature of the core nations. B. CULTURALIST THEORY OF POVERTY: Countries are poor because
they lack the appropriate values and practices that make sustained
Classification of countries: economic development possible.
1. Core
2. Semi-periphery According to Oscar Lewis, poor people around the world are
3. Periphery characterized by the following cultures of poverty:
 Immediate Gratification, when people want pleasures now and

do not think for the future
 Fatalism, when people think, ‘what will be’ and assume they
cannot escape from a bad situation
 Poor people do not have a good work ethic and expect bad jobs
 Segregate themselves from the mainstream society
Modern Cultural Values include the following:

1. Commitment to science
2. Universalism
CHAPTER III: WHY ARE COUNTRIES POOR? 3. Independence
4. Educational achievement
The dictionary defines poverty as: “Not having the minimum income level
to get the necessities of life.” C. STRUCTURALIST THEORY OF POVERTY: Structuralists will point
out that individual actors have no choice, they will still be poor because
World Bank defines poverty as: “Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of
shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty
poor people are embedded in structures that are external and beyond
their control.
Examples:
1. Theory of Geographic Luck by Jared Diamond
2. World Systems Theory by Immanuel Wallerstein

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Midterm Reviewer: The Contemporary World

CHAPTER II: THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Millenium Sustainable THEORIES OF GLOBAL STRATIFICATION

1. PROTECTIONISM- a policy of systematic government Criticisms:

 Immediate Gratification, when people want pleasures now and

Modern Cultural Values include the following:

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