Ag Frank Underdevelopment Summary

A Critical Review of Development of Under-development by AG Frank
Development of Underdevelopment is one of the most critically acclaimed works in development literature. It was written by Andre Gunder Frank, one of the most respected scholars in Development discourse. Frank argues that an all encompassing and comprehensive theory of development can only be fairly developed and articulated if the historical circumstances of the colonial and underdeveloped regions of the world is also taken into account. He challenges the diffusion theory and. He advances the notion that underdevelopment in most underdeveloped regions of the world is generally a result of interaction or linkages between the developed and the underdeveloped world. Frank further

He contends that underdevelopment is generated by the same historical process that generated development. Underdevelopment is a result of country’s participation in the same capitalist system. Frank thus rejects the notion that underdevelopment is traditional or original. He challenges the notion that underdevelopment follows a linear path. He rather argues that ‘’underdevelopment is in large part the historical product of past and continuing economic and other relations...” His approach takes into account the capitalist system as a whole. His work helps us to account for the disparities evidenced in the world between the developed and the underdeveloped world as a result of capitalism. This may be used as a basis for prescribing long term solutions to continued underdevelopment in third world

It is interesting to note that Frank advances the notion that nations can develop on their own without the influence of the so called developed world as illustrated by the Brazilian case. However, while his view holds, it should also be acknowledged that diffusion has played a key role in the spread of industrialization, technological innovations and ideas in the twentieth century. With current waves of globalization sweeping across the globe, third world countries have arguably benefitted from the diffusion process as well. Perhaps, there is need to put economic safeguards in place to ensure that diffusion process does not become