Cumulative Causation Theory: Gunnar Myrdal, Slides of Sociology

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CUMULATIVE CAUSATION THEORY : GUNNAR

MYRDAL

by

Dr. Sourama Saha, Asstt. Prof. in Geography,

Barasat Govt. College

MYRDAL MAINTAINS THAT

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

RESULTS IN A CIRCULAR

CAUSATION PROCESS LEADING

TO RAPID DEVELOPMENT

OF DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

WHILE THE WEAKER COUNTRIES

TEND TO REMAIN BEHIND

AND POOR

DEVELOPED REGION IS DEVELOPING AT A FASTER RATE

AT THE COST OF BACKWARD REGION. INCOME EARNED

BY DEVELOPED REGION IS NOT REINVESTED IN

BACKWARD REGIONS BUT IS REPATRIATED TO THE

DEVELOPED SECTORS/REGIONS LEADING TO MORE

DEVELOPMENT IN THESE AREAS.

SPREAD EFFECT CONTINUES TO BECOME STRONGER IN

DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WHILE BACKWARD EFFECT

CONTINUED TO BECOME EVEN MORE SPREAD IN

BACKWARD COUNTRIES.

THERE WAS SOME SPREAD EFFECT FROM

NODAL REGIONS TO THE HINTERLAND. THE

HINTERLAND SUPPLIES RAW MATERIAL,

LABOUR, ETC. TO THE CENTRES OF

DEVELOPMENT AND IN TURN RECEIVE

CONSUMER GOODS AND SERVICES. HOWEVER,

THESE SPREAD EFFECTS NEVER HELPED IN

SELF-EXPANSION PROCESS IN RURAL AREAS.

UNDER SUCH SITUATONS CAUSE BECOMES

ITS OWN EFFECT.

BACKWARDNESS → BACKWARDNESS

REASON EFFECT

CONCLUSION:

A REGION IS BACKWARD BECAUSE

IT IS BACKWAED.

• MYRDAL CONTENTION IS THAT THE FREE PLAY OF

MARKET FORCES AND OPERATION OF PROFIT

MOTIVE IN THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM NORMALLY

TENDS TO INCREASE INEQUALITIES BETWEEN

REGIONS RATHER THAN DECREASE.

• WHEN BACKWASH EFFECT DOMINATES DIVERGENCE

WILL DEVELOP; PERIPHERY WILL REMAIN WEAK,

ONLY CENTRE WILL DEVELOP AND DUALISM IN

GROWTH IS PROMOTED.

• WHEN SPREAD EFFECT DOMINATES CONVERGENCE

WILL DEVELOP; PERIPHERY WILL DEVELOP, THERE

WILL BE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION BETWEEN CENTRE

AND PERIPHERY.

CRITICAL EVALUATION

• THIS MODEL COMBINES NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FORCES WHICH TEND TO KEEP BACKWARD CONTRIES IN THE MORASS OF CUMULATIVE PROCESS WHERE POVERTY BECOMES ITS OWN CAUSE.
• THOUGH NOT A COMMUNIST HE PROVED THAT THE SO CALLED COMPETITIVE MARKETS INSTEAD OF SOLVIMG THE PROBLEM OF BACKWARD REGION IT WOUD ACCENTUATE THEM.
• MYRDAL THESE HAVE MADE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TEORIES OF CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE, AGGLOMERATION ANS LOCATIONAL ECONOMIES AND THE THEORY OF VICIOUS CIRCLE.

• MYRDAL WAS A SUPPORTER OF BALANCED GROWTH AND WANTED IT TO BE INITIATED, DIRECTED AND SUSTAINED BY GOVT. HE WAS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE THEORY OF SPONSORED GROWTH.
• THE ANALYSIS PART OF MRYDAL’S WRITINGS IF FOUND TO BE MUCH MORE SATISFACTORY THAN THE RECOMMENDATORY PART.
• THE THEORY HAS BEEN CRITICIZED REGARDING “ACCIDENTAL FACTORS” AS THE ONLY FACTORS WHICH START THE GROWTH PROCESS.

Thank You