Essay Question: HOW WELL DOES DEPENDENCY THEORY EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POOR AND RICH COUNTRIES?
Introduction:
Talk about what the essay is about;
• First, explain the definition of dependency theory.
• Briefly explain how all these years poor countries have been dependent on rich countries >> you may mention some issues regarding to this.
• Explain briefly the content of this essay and the aims of this essay
1st Paragraph:
• Define Dependency Theory
• Talk about the history of Dependency Theory;
Dependency Theory developed in the late 1950s under the guidance of the Director of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America, Raul Prebisch. Prebisch and his colleagues were troubled by the fact that economic growth in the advanced industrialized countries did not necessarily lead to growth in the poorer countries. Indeed, their studies suggested that economic activity in the richer countries often led to serious economic problems in the poorer countries. Such a possibility was not predicted by neoclassical theory, which had assumed that economic growth was beneficial to all (Pareto optimal) even if the benefits were not always equally shared. (https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/depend.htm)
• Explain everything about Dependency Theory
• Briefly mention the former USSR leader Vladimir Lenin’s imperialism since Dependency Theory’s roots can be traced back from imperialism
• Put any necessary quotes that are related to the essay
2nd Paragraph:
• Relate Dependency Theory to Marxist:
In its extreme form, dependency theory is based on a Marxist view of the world, which sees globalisation in terms of the spread of market capitalism, and the exploitation of cheap labour and resources in return for the obsolete technologies of the West. The dominant view of dependency theorists is that there is a dominant world capitalist system that relies on a division of labour between the rich ‘core’ countries and poor ‘peripheral’ countries. Over time, the core countries will exploit their dominance over an increasingly marginalised periphery.
(https://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Global_economics/Dependency_theory.html)
• How Marxist theory views the world with system? In Marxist perspectives, how does it explain Dependency Theory?
• Talk/discuss about the structural context of dependency: is it capitalism? Or is it power?
• Don’t forget to put any necessary quotes that are related to the essay
3rd Paragraph:
Talk about Wallerstein’s world system theory, linked it to the Dependency Theory. Put any important quotes that are related to this idea.
• Bring up core countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Sources
• Bring up semi-periphery countries such as Brazil, China, South Korea, India, and Singapore
• Bring up periphery countries such as Afghanistan, Thailand, Cuba, Malaysia, and Sudan
• Explain how dependent is the semi-periphery and periphery countries to the core countries
• Explain the relationship between poor and rich countries
• Make both argument and counterargument about dependency theory.
Conclusion:
• Sum up everything that has been written in the essay briefly
• Give the answer to the essay question ‘how well does dependency theory explain the relationship between poor and rich countries?
• Are you agree with dependency theory? Yes or No?
• Closing sentence. “Therefore………..”
Essay Tips:
I. READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY, AND BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
No matter how well written, informative or original your essay, it will be evaluated, first and foremost, on how well it answers that question.
A. Political Science essay questions are usually broad, general and open-ended. However, the question will inevitably require you to take a stand on a basic issue or set of issues (concrete or conceptual).
B. First, you must be sure you understand what issue(s) the question is asking you to deal with. Second, you must adopt and clearly state a position on the issue(s).
C. The above two steps are indispensable because:
1. Recognizing the concerns of the question allows you to place workable limits on what would otherwise be a vast and unmanageable body of information. Remember, you always have time and/or space limitations.
2. Stating a position informs your choice of the particular bits of information (concepts, structures, historical, social and economic factors, etc.) you need to bring into your discussion. In other words it is not desirable or possible to tell the whole story, but it is desirable and possible to tell the story you want to tell (based on the requirements of the question).
3. You can best display your knowledge and understanding of the course material not simply by regurgitating it, but by selecting aspects of it that help you make and support a reasoned, intelligible and intelligent argument.
II. MAKE AN ARGUMENT. Taking a stand is not enough; you must be able to support your stand with concrete information about the subject in question.
A. An argument is not simply a set of assertions. It is not enough to proclaim your opinion; you must explain why you see things that way, and how your perspective derives from concrete, observable data.
B. A good strategy for constructing an argument is to move from the general to the specific.
1. The question will usually address itself to a broad issue or concept, and then — by implication or specifically — ask you to deal with a number of subordinate issues or concepts.
2. Your introduction should be a general statement of the argument you intend to make; – i.e., your position on the basic issue.
3. The body of your essay will then be in support of this position;
a. It is expected that you will be familiar with all assigned materials. If you are supposed to know it, and it seems relevant to your argument, you will probably want to mention it.
b. At times it may be necessary to mention and refute contending arguments. If it can be used to weaken or refute your argument, you will probably need to address it.
4. Your conclusion should integrate the separate supporting arguments into the more general argument proposed in your introduction.
III. ORGANIZATION
To ensure that your essay has a logical organization and order of presentation, make an outline. This is the best way to ensure that your essay is clearly organized.
There should be an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
1. Your introduction should be a general statement of the argument you intend to make — i.e., your position on the basic issue.
2. The body of your essay will be in support of the position you stated in the introduction.
A. Support this position with reference to concrete political, social and historical factors and/or authoritative interpretations from recognized sources. Use empirical evidence facts, numbers, history to support your argument.
B. Do not go off on a tangent of simple description. Be selective about the particular information you discuss.
3. Your conclusion should integrate the separate supporting arguments into the more general argument proposed in your introduction.
a. In the introduction you proclaim what position you are going to take.
b. In the conclusion you show that you have provided strong support for that position.
c. The conclusion is not the place to open up new issues, to launch into an impassioned plea for world peace. The conclusions should follow from the facts and arguments that you have presented.
IV. SOME TACTICAL SUGGESTIONS:
In constructing your essay, your concern should be with clarity and with the soundness of your argument.
1. Make sure that your writing is clear and unambiguous. Aim for precision of expression. Statements such as the following are imprecise: The U.S. ‘dominates’ world affairs. They were fighting for ‘freedom’.
2. Your paper should make a single point or a handful of related points, and should follow a simple organization. Avoid cluttering it with extra points.
3. Break your paper into sections and subsections. Sections help readers see the structure of your argument. Label sections with vivid section headings that convey the main message of the section.
4. For each major point you make, ask yourself if it is well-supported and convincing.
5. Remember, your essay is usually one of many that must be read and marked by your tutor in a short period of time. If you focus on the question, write and organize clearly, some of your other sins may be forgiven.