Theories Explaining the Growth of Superpowers Aims: To know the different theories put forward To describe the shift in power since the second world war To explain why there are shifts in power.

How could this theory influenced world powers and development? Modernisation Theory How could this theory influenced world powers and development? It was so influential that developing countries wanting to create the preconditions for take off by investing in key infrastructure and industries. The Asian Tigers are examples of where this succeeded. How were they able to implement the preconditions for take off?

What does this image illustrate? Why does this situation help to keep the rich, rich and the poor, poor? What are the flows to the developed world? What flows to the developing world? Manufactured goods – costly return for primary goods Aid Raw materials – v little paid for resources Polluting industry Political and economic ideas Political support Debt repayment and purchase payments Brain drain

Dependency Theory – An outcome of colonialism Remember this? Dependency Theory – An outcome of colonialism Dependent area Relationship Investments Core Periphery Wealth Cash Crops – Coffee Tobacco Periphery Core Development

Dependency Theory A. G Frank – based on Marxist view ‘rich vs poor’. Reliant on capitalist core and underdeveloped periphery. Capitalist core keeps the periphery in a state of underdevelopment by exploiting its cheap resources, taking its most skilled workers and selling it its manufactured goods. The developing world helps to keep the developed world to become wealthier. ‘development of underdevelopment’ Aid is then needed to prevent the periphery from becoming restless.

Who are the exception? Which countries have adopted Rostow’s model and broken the dependency theory? The Asian Tigers Why? USA funding! Both economic support and aid. Why did they do this? – think back to how superpowers can exert and extend their influence. Strong capitalist economies in Asia would contain Communist China.

World Systems Theory Wallerstein To counter the periphery/core theory. Analysis of geographical patterns. Three tier world. Dynamic – allowing for change to take place. Countries can move between peripheral, semi-periphery and core.

India and China Why have their economies recently risen? 2 conflicting arguments: Wallerstein argues Europe initiated industrial capitalism. The rise of I and C another stage in the growth and spread of the global economy. A. G Frank argues it’s a shift back to an older world order where I and C were powerful economic forces. The global system was replaced for 500yrs by European hegemony. European powers are the first NICs. Why should the global centre of economic gravity shift from east to west and back again?

Review Question With reference to different theories put forward, explain why there are shifts in the global centre of economic gravity.