Understanding Third World Politics
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Date
1996-04-01
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Publisher
MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Abstract
This book provides a critical introduction to the attempts of
political scientists to understand the politics of less developed
countries. While it provides a very wide range of empirical examples
from many countries in several continents its central focus is on the
issues and controversies that have dominated the social science of
Third World politics since the 1950s and in particular on assessing
the main theories that have been formulated that attempt to make
systematic and rigourous sense of political development.
Description
Since this chapter examines a controversy over the label 'Third
World' it is appropriate to begin with a definition. In order to
identify the subject-matter of this book, to convey the diversity of
the social and economic conditions found within the Third World,
and to provide an outline of the major changes taking place in
Third World countries, an indication of the key characteristics
of Third World status must be given. For the purpose of this survey
the Third World will be defined as a group of countries which have
colonial histories and which are in the process of developing
economically and socially from a status characterised by low
incomes, dependence on agriculture, weakness in trading relations,
social deprivation for large segments of society, and restricted
political and civil liberties.
Keywords
POLITICAL CHANGE, CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO