TOPIC 2 RURAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ISSUE 2 THEORIES OF URBANIZATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

1.THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN INDUSTRIALIZATION BRUCE JOHNSTON AND JOHN MELLOR DEVELOPED THE THEORY IN 1965

CONTENT OF THE THEORY A SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION OF AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IS A KEY FACTOR IN SUPPORTING INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTING A RAPID GROWTH RATE FOR THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

THE THEORY REASONS: (a) AGRICULTURE SUPPLIES FOODSTUFFS AND RAW MATERIALS REQUIRED IN URBAN AREAS (b) AGRICULTURE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING CASH AND FOOD CROPS FOR EXPORTS TO EARN FOREIGN EXCHANGE WHICH COULD BE USED TO BUY TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER ITEMS FOR URBAN, RURAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

REASONS © AGRICULTURE PLAYS THE ROLE OF RELEASING LOBOUR FORCE FOR THE INDUSTRIAL AND OTHER URBAN SECTORS (d) AGRICULTURE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPANDING THE DOMESTIC MARKET FOR INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS (e) AGRICULTURE HAS THE IMPORTANCE OF INCREASING DOMESTIC SAVINGS FOR FINANCING INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION

THE THEORY IT STRESSES THE NEED FOR STRUCTURAL CHANGE BY REDUCING THE SHARE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AND INCREASE THE MANUFACTURING AND URBAN SERVICES SECTOR THE THEORY PROVIDES LITTLE EXPLANATION ON HOW SUCH STRUCTURE CHANGE CAN BE ACCCOMPLISHED

2. HARMONIOUS LINKS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AUTHOR OF THE THEORY: SCHUMACHER, E. F. CONTENT: IT OPPOSES THE ACHIEVEMENT OF INDUSTRIALIZATION BY SQUEEZING AGRICULTURE AND RURAL RESOURCE BASE THE AUTHOR ADVOCATES FOR A PROGRAMME OF BALANCED DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE

EXPLANATION OF SECOND THEORY CONTINUES REASON:- IT HAS BEEN SEEN THE POTENTIAL FOR INDUSTRIAL ACHIEVEMENTS TO MAKE RURAL PEOPLE INCREASE THEIR LIVELIHOODS AND SECURE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ALSO RURAL SECTOR HAS BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

3.URBANIZATION THEORIES URBAN BIAS ONE OF THE AUTHOR WAS LIPTON WHO IN 1977 PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING ARGUMENT: MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IMPLEMENT INVESTMENT, TAX, PRICING AND OTHER POLICIES WHICH FAVOUR MORE URBAN AREAS THAN THE RURAL AREAS

1.URBAN BIAS- URBANIZATION THEORIES WHY SUCH SITUATION HAS BEEN HAPPENING? THE STATES GET PRESSURE FROM VARIOUS URBAN BASED GROUPS: INDUSTRIALISTS, SMALL-SCALE CAPITALISTS, INTELLECTUALS AND URBAN WORKERS

1.URBAN BIAS- URBANIZATION THEORIES OUTCOME OF THE OPERATION OF URBAN BIAS CREATION OF DISPARITY BETWEEN RURAL AND TOWNS/CITIES WITH RESPECT TO CONSUMPTION, WAGES AND PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS 2. SUCH DISPARITIES LEAD INTO HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING FOR URBAN CITIZENS AND DRAW MIGRANTS FROM POORER RURAL AREAS

1.URBAN BIAS- URBANIZATION THEORIES RECOMMENDATION MADE BY THE URBAN BIAS THE RURAL DWELLERS SHOULD REMAIN IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES INSTEAD OF MIGRATING TO URBAN AREAS WHERE THEY WILL JOIN THE INFORMAL LABOUR MARKET AND BECOME UNPRODUCTIVE HUMAN CAPITAL

2.DEPENDENCY THEORIES URBANIZATION THEORIES AUTHOR OF THE THEORIES: TIMBERLAKE, EVANS AND KENTOR ARGUMENT: 1.FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN THIRD WORLD DISPLACES PEASANTS AND PUSHES THEM TO THE CITIES/TOWNS

2.DEPENDENCY THEORIES URBANIZATION THEORIES ARGUMENT: 2.THIRD WORLD FARMERS ARE AFFECTED NEGATIVELY BY A NUMBER FACTORS IN PRODUCING THEIR PRIMARY COMMODITIES (e.g. COFFEE, TEA AND COTTON) RESULTING MIGRATING TO CITIES/TOWNS

2.DEPENDENCY THEORIES URBANIZATION THEORIES THE FACTORS INCLUDE LOW INTERNATIONAL PRICES FOR THEIR COMMODITIES EXPORTED DROUGHTS

CONCLUSION OF THEDEPENDENCY THEORIES CITIES OR TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPING WORLD HAVE INCREASED THEIR LEVEL OF URBANIZATION LARGELY BECAUSE OF EXTERNAL CAPITAL WHICH MAKES PEOPLE IN THE RURAL AREAS BEING ATTRACTED TO MOVE FOR OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED IN THE URBAN AREAS

REFERENCES MICHAEL P. TODARO (1992) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIRD WORLD, NEW YORK, LONGMAN PUBLISHERS 2.ASHLEY, C. AND S. MAXWELL (2001) RETHINKING RURAL DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPING POLICY REVIEW 19 (4) pp 395-425 of 2001