Chapter 4

Dominant Paradigm of Development

Definition of Paradigm

A paradigm is a pattern, perspective, set of ideas or way of looking at something. A new paradigm
in business could mean a new way of earning. A new paradigm in reporting could mean reporting
events in a different way than the traditional way.

The Concept of Dominant Paradigm

The central idea of this paradigm was to solve development problems by modernizing
underdeveloped countries. It is a development concept which evolved after WWII and became
popular in 1960s. This thought was part of the dominant culture or the majority at least believed
in this paradigm. This approach advised the society that how to be effective in following the
behavior of the rich and influential or the pattern of the capitalist driven western economies.
Development was equated with economic growth. This paradigm believed that the Western model
of economic growth is universally applicable. This paradigm sees development in the lens of
Western world which says development could be achieved by increased productivity of goods,
economic growth, heavy industrialization, large investment, intensive technologies, urbanization,
centralized planning and free market. This paradigm seeks a shift from a static, agricultural,
primitive and rigid society to a dynamic, industrialized, urbanized and socially mobile society. It
is called dominant paradigm of development because it exercised a dominant influence in the field
of development at that time.

Features/Elements of the Dominant Paradigm

 Emphasis on Economic Growth/Industrialization

The dominant paradigm concerned itself with raising the standard of living through emphasizing
the economic growth and alleviating poverty. It aimed at more industrialization as industries were
backbone of an economy.

 Emphasis on Specialized Economy

It aimed at creating a specialized economy in which every field should have its concerned
specialists so that a particular field hires only those people who are specialized in that particular
field.

 Market-Oriented Education

It saw education as market oriented which should create more jobs and skills therefore it advocated
for raising the abilities and providing skills to people.

 Mass Media as a Needle

It saw mass media as a needle which can inject and change people’s minds easily. It saw mass
media very effective in persuading people to reject traditional life and adopt a modern way of life.

 Top-Down Communication

In this paradigm, the communication flow was not participatory but one way which was top to
down.

 Backward Countries are Responsible for their Backwardness

This paradigm held the view that poor and underdeveloped countries are responsible for their
underdevelopment as this paradigm believed underdevelopment in the developing countries was
not due to external causes but due to internal causes present within the nation and the individual
as well as within the social structure.

 Advocacy for Modern Way of Life

This paradigm believed traditional way of life of people in third world countries was an
impediment to development therefore it advocated for a change in the mindset of individuals that
they should abandon traditional beliefs and embrace attitudes which are favorable to modern and
Western world.

 Advocacy for Technological Advancement

It advocated dependency on technological means and required people to believe in the scientific
method.

 Advocacy for Liberal Ideas

It advocated for liberal ideas and democratic system of governance. Under this paradigm,
capitalism and liberalism were true political ideologies.

 Advocacy for Free Market

It required blind faith in the virtues and power of the free market, with no or minimal government
intervention in economy.

Criticism of the Dominant Paradigm of Development

Critics of the dominant paradigm of development argue that development cannot be measured with
few factors such as GDP, GNP, HDI and industrialization. Development is rather a process which
involves both material and mental growth of humans therefore limiting development to material
gains is unjust.

The following are the shortcomings of the dominant paradigm of development.

Material Growth

The dominant paradigm of development stressed on material growth and ignored the other sectors
such as mental and social growth of human beings. The critics argue that development is a process
which involves both material and mental growth of human beings therefore not bringing other
sectors of human development into consideration, the dominant paradigm fails to be a perfect
paradigm of development.

Capitalist World Model

The dominant paradigm of development is a capitalist model and does not understand the socio-
political needs of the less-developed nations. It only proposes ways of earning money. Under this
paradigm, material structure of the society is given importance while socio-cultural aspect human
society is ignored.

One Way Flow of Information

In the dominant paradigm of development, information flows from top to down and there is no
feedback from the receivers. Powerful countries made policies according to their needs and
interests and imposed on the third world countries. This one way flow of information is referred
to information imperialism by the West which helped Western countries to propagate their ideas
and values to African and Asian countries.

Stress on Economic Development

This dominant paradigm was only focused on economic development. There was no mechanism
for the development of social and cultural sphere of life.

Modernization Theory

Modernization theory emerged after World War II which paved the way for the dominant paradigm
of development. Unlike European and Western countries, African and Asian countries failed to
develop and remained poor. In this context, modernization theory was developed which aimed at
providing a solution to poverty in the under-developed world. The theory proposed an
industrialized and capitalist model of development through the promotion of Western values.

There are two main aspects of modernization theory;

(1) Modernization theory explained that countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are
underdeveloped because of cultural barriers to development basically arguing that these countries
were underdeveloped because their traditional values held them back. According to modernization
theorists, obstacles to development are internal to poorer countries. In other words, undeveloped
countries are undeveloped because they have the wrong cultural and social systems and the wrong
values and practices that prevent development from taking place.

Modernization theory argues that the following traditional values in Africa, Asia and Latin
America act as barriers to development.

Particularism

Where people are allocated into roles based on their affective or familial relationship to those
already in positions power. For example, where a politician or head of a company gives their
brother or someone from their village or ethnic group a job simply because they are close to them,
rather than employing someone based on their individual talent.
Corruption

The modernization theorists found that financial and mental corruption in third world countries is
also a barrier to development. Corruption takes place in underdeveloped countries in different
ways such as financial as well as mental corruption. By financial corruption they meant the office
holders embezzle public money and by mental corruption they mean the people in third world
countries are not mentally capable and ready for development.

Collectivism

By collectivism, the theorists meant that the individual is expected to put the group such as family
or village, before self-interest. Collectivism happens in shape of collective ownership of
organizations or collective family where all depend on one earner. The theorists said due to
collectivism, the individual talent does not get promoted.

Patriarchy

Patriarchal structures are much more entrenched in less developed countries and so women are
much less likely to gain positions of political or economic power therefore have housewife roles.
This means that half of the population is blocked from contributing to the political and economic
development of the country.

(2) The second aspect of modernization theory is its proposal to development by adopting Western
model of development. The modernization theorists argued that in order to develop, less developed
countries need to adopt a similar path to development like the Western countries. They needed to
adopt Western cultural values and build industries in order to promote economic growth. In order
to do this, they need help from Western governments and companies in shape of aid and
investment. In short, modernization theory favored a capitalist- industrial model of
development believing that capitalism (the free market) encouraged efficient production through
industrialization.

Criticism of Modernization Theory

Firstly, there are no such examples of countries that have followed a Modernization Theory
approach to development.
Secondly, Modernization Theory assumes that Western civilization is technically and morally superior
to traditional societies believing that traditional societies are inferior.

Thirdly, the model is flawed for assuming that countries need the help of outside forces. The theory
considers other nations incapable. This theory colonizes the minds of people by assuming that they depend
on outside forces for development.

Finally, the theory proposes more industrialization but on the other hand, modernization projects have
led to environmental pollution.