Fragmented Development Theory

Fragmented Development Theory

Not every country in the world is developed in the same way. Some countries are at a higher level of development than others. In order to understand why this is the case, one can look at various theories, so-called development theories.

One of these development theories is the theory of fragmented development. In this article, we will explain what this approach is all about!

What does fragmented development mean?

Of course, the terms should be explained in advance. Fragmented development means that entire countries and their entire populations can never participate in global competition and its positive effects, but only certain places.

Such places can be, for example, so-called global cities in industrialized countries, but also export enclaves in developing countries. Parts of the population can also feel the positive welfare effects in third world countries.

What is the theory of fragmented development?

In national development policy, people are still convinced that with the help of the North, the deficits of the countries of the South can be caught up. This requires technical, financial and personnel support in order to get catch-up development going.

However, time has shown that these practical development policy measures were not the key to success. Development theories such as dependency theory or modernization theory have not been able to achieve the desired progress.

dependency theory

The dependency theory is based on the assumption that the underdevelopment of developing countries depends on exogenous factors. To find out what factors these can be, it is best to read the separate article on this theory!

modernization theory

You can also find a separate article on this theory. In contrast to dependency theory, modernization theory assumes that the backward development of some countries or regions can be explained by endogenous characteristics.

Basic assumptions of «fragmenting development»

The failure of other development theories and the constantly advancing globalization has prompted a fundamental rethinking of previous theories and connections.

Structural changes have given rise to the new theory of fragmented development.

According to Fred Scholz, a German geographer, the basic assumption of the theory is that globalization makes a really comprehensive development of the backward countries impossible for the masses of the people of the South. He says that globalization and catching-up development has a fragmenting effect.

What is catch-up development?

Catching-up development describes the catching-up process that a developing country is going through. The country is changing in a social, demographic, political or infrastructural way.

These processes, which have taken place in the industrialized countries over a long period of time, are happening in the developing countries in a very short time.

The catch-up development is based on the considerations of modernization theory, which state that the western development path can be transferred directly to the developing countries.

The lack of success of these ideas meant that contrary theories were set up. These can be summarized with the term dependency theory.

The Global Fragmentation Model

The approach puts these classifications into perspective as it draws attention to the entire global economy. This takes away the responsibility of the individual nation states.

global cities

In the so-called «global places» of the North, such as New York, London or Tokyo, numerous transnational companies or large financial institutions have their headquarters. From there, they determine what happens in these places in a hierarchical order.

Then there are the growing cities in Latin America, Africa or South and East Asia. Here, too, one finds high-tech service companies, tax havens or outsourcing industries. But above all the low-wage and mass consumer goods production takes place there.

These two places are pivots of global competition. However, they are only individual regions or cities and therefore only represent a part of the population. The places live under enormous pressure to remain competitive in order not to descend into the so-called «new periphery».

Periphery stands for the underdevelopment and the regions which are behind the so-called metropolises. The new periphery is what is left after subtracting the global and significant places from the economy.

The new periphery thus represents the more or less superfluous part of the world population, since this is not required as labour, does not represent any competition and does not provide any significant products. These places do not belong to the globalized centers that influence world market events.

identification of rich and poor

As already mentioned, fragmented development theory does not look at the structure of poverty and wealth in terms of nation states.

Zones or fragments are defined instead. For example, zones of poverty are identified, which are often referred to as «ghettos» or «no-go areas».

This approach can often seem very contradictory, since countries like Pakistan are labeled as poor, although there are cities like Karachi, which are characterized by great wealth.

Some of these cities offer uptown neighborhoods or living standards that are often nowhere near matched in northern countries. However, only kilometers away are large slums, which are among the «superfluous» places. On a social level, however, the geographically close cities or zones are miles apart.

Implications of the theory

Due to the described processes of the theory, previous classifications become obsolete. So far, classification has been primarily based on the North – South and Third World scheme.

Through the theory, a new concept is designed, which separates into zones of mass and extensive poverty and locally limited wealth.

Significant examples of fragmentation are:

• gated communities
• Remittance of migrants to the south

Gated communities are closed residential complexes that have various types of access restrictions. In the course of fragmentation, they represent a phenomenon of social segregation. These closed housing complexes can be seen as counter-reactions to mass migration.

The remittance of migrants to the south also shows the social segregation. The migrants end up in the «new periphery» and are not allowed to enter the global cities or the «islands of wealth».

consequences of the theory

However, the new concept raises the question of whether development aid, which is provided from state to state, still makes sense at all. The assumption of fragmenting development could encourage the restructuring of concepts of development assistance.

In the past, the head of the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) has called for more private companies to be set up to be involved in development work. This would radically change the international system of development work.

The consequence of this would be that poverty or failure would then be the fault of the individual and there would no longer be any social responsibility.

Scholz claims that the winning side, i.e. the northern global cities, lack a fundamental insight. Development can only happen through a change in values ​​and solidarity, which means in concrete terms that the rich part of the population has to forego self-interest.

The theory of fragmented development – the most important things at a glance

• Fragmented development means that entire countries and their entire populations can never participate in global competition and its positive effects, but only certain places.
• The dependency theory or the modernization theory have not been able to achieve the desired progress, which is why the theory of fragmented development arose.
• The basic assumption of the theory is that globalization makes a really comprehensive development of the backward countries impossible for the masses of the people of the South.
• The approach puts nation-state classifications into perspective as it draws attention to the entire global economy and identifies zones.
• There is pressure in the global cities not to slip into the “new periphery”.
• Scholz claims that future development is only possible through a change in values.