World Systems Theory Flashcards
what did marx believe to be beneficial about capitalism
Marx actually supported capitalism as an efficient route to development; he thought capitalism was not the final goal of development
what did warren note about development in third world countries
Warren (1980) noted development in non-dependent Third World countries as evidence that capitalism could perform this purpose without negative dependency on the West
- Describe the term World Systems theory?
World systems theory is a response to the criticisms of Dependency Theory.
it Describes the world as one single unified capitalist system. The system is more dynamic and countries can move up or down the hierarchy.
how does WST - Improve DT
Wallerstein says countries are socially mobile not stuck in one stage.
for example Economic development might lead an area to move into the core, or economic crisis might lead an area to move into the periphery.
The periphery
control world wages and Provide products for both other zones
The semi-periphery
Have urban areas but also large areas of rural poverty
peripheral countries
provide the raw materials and cheap labour to the core and semi periphery.
summarise WST - Exploitation
Developing countries are not exploited by individual countries, but by the global system as a whole so Wallerstein does not look at individual countries and instead the MWS.
WST - What has caused exploitation?
Slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism
WST - Strengths
One of the first to recognise globalisation of the world as the developing and western worlds depend on each other
how can WST be criticised similarly to dependency theory
Wallerstein puts too much emphasis of economics and the dominance of Capitalism
- there are more causes of underdevelopment than just Capitalism – Such as cultural factors, corruption and ethnic conflict.
evaluate the limitations of WST in providing a solution for underdeveloped countries
While the dependency theory is criticised for offering unappealing or unrealistic solutions to underdevelopment, world systems theory doesn’t really have a solution at all: it’s just a description.
Finally, Wallerstein’s concepts of Core, Semi-Periphery and Periphery are vague and this means his theory is difficult to test in practise.
what is The world systems theory is established on?
The world systems theory is established on a three-level hierarchy consisting of core, periphery, and semi-periphery areas.
what does WST emphasise
The theory emphasizes the social structure of global inequality.
