To what extent are models and theories useful in showing development?

To what extent are models and theories useful in showing development?

To what extent are models and theories useful in showing development? (40 marks)
Development is a process of change that affects people’s lives. It can involve improvement in the quality of life, economics, health and education. There are several models and theories that aim to show development including Rostow’s Model of Development, the Clark Fisher Model and the Dependency Theory. This essay will evaluate the usefulness of such models and theories in terms of showing development.

In 1960, W.W. Rostow, and American economist, envisaged five stages in the development of the economy. These five stages are: traditional society, preconditions for take-off, take-off, drive to maturity and age of high mass consumption (see diagram 1). The Rostow Model of Development is based around society being capitalist and appears to offer every country an equal chance to develop. It is a highly respected model and is referred to frequently as it is one of the most widely cited development theories. It is easy to understand and it provides a general part for development for countries who want to use it a as a rough guide to development. It is also in conjunction with the Demographic Transition Model, meaning it can be used to generate and guide policymaking. This model has also purported to explain the advantages of the Western development model and the take-off period is calibrated at around twenty years meaning it is long enough to be conceivable and short enough to not seem unattainable. Despite this, it is often criticized for having a strong bias towards a western model of modernization because not all countries have to go through these stages, such as Newly Industrialised Countries (NICs) such as Hong Kong that did not go through industrialization in the same way as countries such as Britain. The Rostow Model is aspatial and does not look at variations within a country. It also assumes that each country is economically and politically free. Overall, the Rostow Model...

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