 Özay Mehmet
is a Turkish-Cypriot development
economist who specializes in the emerging NICs of Southeast Asia. He
is currently Professor of International Affairs at Clareton University,
Ottawa, Canada.
Westernizing the Third World identifies the mainstream economic
theories which have been employed in developing countries. The author examines
these and explains why Eurocentric concepts are not suitable for the developing
world.
Is development theory
Eurocentric? DEvelopment was an idealistic
mission in the postwar period, pursued with great optimism and generosity.
Now, against a rising tide of mass poverty, refugees and displaced persons,
and social injustice, many developing countries are worse off than in 1970.
Why has Third World development failed?
Westernizing the Third World blames this failure on Western
theories and prescriptions. The book examines both Classical theories of
economic development and their postwar Neo-Classical counterparts, arguing
that these are fundamentally flawed because of their subjective and normative
assumptions. Further chapters discuss model-building and macro-planning
and the New Economic Order. The book concludes with an appraisal of the
current situation and an examination of the future agenda for development
studies.
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March Review /
Mart Kitabi - 2001