Which is Responsible?

Modernization?

or

Dependency?

It is of importance to define first and distinguish the difference between modernization and dependency theory. Modernization shows evolutionary trends seen as the emergence of new forms of integrations, evolutionary upgrading, and an increasingly generalized adaptive capacity of a society. The developed countries are the ones we see as modernized like Japan, Russia, and the Western countries. All of them are equipped with up to date technologies for communications, military defenses, and medical advancements. Most likely, this said technologies can never be seen in third world or developing countries.

On the other hand, dependency theory in simple terms is the tendency of third world or developing countries to depend on developed countries. The term depend used can be said to deliberately be under the control of another country.

Following the modernization theory, a undeveloped country sees western country as the "model" country which they have to follow or to idolized. On the other hand, in dependency theory, a undeveloped country sees western country as a "tool" for their own success. If compared, the former is far better than the other. In modernization, undeveloped countries borrow experiences, methods and technologies from the western countries and exert effort to adapt it in their own ways while in dependency theory, undeveloped countries are relying on the western country itself and letting the bigger country control them in some ways.

In the Philippines, I believe that underdevelopment and income disparity can be attributed to dependency theory. It is apparent that in our country, the western have great influences in different aspects of our life. The western countries have great control over us; they have become a part of us and have intervened in the policies laid down before us.