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Tomenou 1Development versus underdevelopment: Materialism or Humanism? The concept of under-development has appeared after World-War II, with theaccession into independency of colonies of Africa, Asia and Latin-America. Due tothe variety of situations that it presents, the under-development is a concept atvariable definitions. It can be defined as a situation of jamming of the development,which results from the absence of favorable conditions to a transformation of theeconomic, social, cultural and institutional structures. It can also be defined as asituation of “non-coverage of human’s cost”, meaning the non-satisfaction of human’s fundamental needs. The diversity of the situation of under-development has led to a variety of expressions to qualify the countries concerned by the phenomenon. The term“under-developed countries” shows the gap between these countries and thedeveloped countries. They are also sometimes called “Developing countries”,meaning that these countries have set a process of development that they arepassing through, in order to make up for their delay. The expression “Third-world”also used to qualify these countries, has a geo-politic content, and distinguishestheses countries from the two blocs (the Eastern and the Western bloc), formingtherefore (these countries), a third bloc, the bloc of the non-aligned. As well usedto refer to these countries, the expression “Countries of the South” also has a geo-politic content, through which these countries strive for the establishment of a newinternational economic cleavage. Finally the expression “Countries of the Periphery”as well used to qualify these countries is a Marxist analysts’ expression, whichpoints out the idea of submission of these countries, and their domination by a“Center” which is made of the industrialized and developed countries.

Tomenou 2Many sociologic, historic and economic analyses have tried or attempted toexplain the under-development. From this variety of analyses, two great approachesor theories of explanation have emerged. The first, of liberal nature, interprets theunder-development, as a delay of development, while the second, rather of radicalnature, emphasizes the weight of historic factors. According to this second theory,the under-development is the product of the development, and the development of some makes the under-development of others. The liberal approach, also called “theory of Modernization”, or “capitalistdevelopment’s theory”, considers the development as a series of different steps,through which have passed the current industrialized or developed countries, andwhich the under-developed or developing nations should also and necessarily take.According to this theory, the development is a linear and temporal process, and theunder-development just considered as a delay of the development, compared withthis linear process.Walt Waltman Rostow, a University’s professor of Economics and History, andthe seventh United States National Security Advisor in the Lyndon B. JohnsonAdministration, has in his book

The Process of Economic Growth

, has defined fiveideal types of stages through which all societies pass. These five growth stages are:1-The “

traditional society

”, during which the economic system isstationary and dominated by agriculture, with traditional cultivatingforms. Productivity by man-hour work is lower, compared to thefollowing growth stages. An historical instance of Rostow’s “traditionalSociety” can be found during the time of Newton.2-The “

transitional stage

” creates the

preconditions for take-off

, bybringing about radical changes in the non-industrial sectors. During

Tomenou 3this stage, the rate of investments is getting higher. A new class of businessmen emerges. This kind of economical development is theresult of the industrial revolution.3-The “

take-off stage

” brings a sharp increase in the rate of investmentin the per capita output. This stage of industrial revolution is followedby radical changes in the production techniques. Expansion takesplace in a small group of leading sectors at first, and on the social side,is followed by the domination of the modern section of the society overthe traditional one. Like the textile industry in England, a few leadingindustries can support development. Generally, the “

Take Off

” lastsfor two or three decades. In England for instance, it took place by themiddle 17

century.4-The “

drive to maturity

” is characterized by continual investments by40 to 60 per cent. Economic and technical progress dominates thisstage. New forms of industries emerge, namely the electrical industry,the chemical industry, and the mechanical engineering. Generally, the“

Drive to maturity

” starts about 60 years after the “Take Off”. Thishappened in Europe, by the year 1900.5-The stage of “

high mass consumption

”, during which, most parts of the society live in prosperity, and the people living in this society areoffered both abundance and a multiplicity of choices. According toRostow, this is the stage to which belong the Northern or westerncountries

(

P.310-325). Therefore, each nation follows this time-table linear economic trajectory, andcan reach the ultimate stage, if he creates and maintains the favorable conditions