Rostow - The Five Stages

• Based on farming, fishing, forestry and traditional economic activity
• Mainly subsistence with some mining to support local production

Culture is traditional, patriachal, family based and collective

Example:

Somalia

• Farming main industry, mostly subsistence level
• Some mining to provide metals for internal market
• Religious, patriachal culture
• Focus on family and village collectives

• Infrasutrcture built to allow development. For example roads, power stations and communications
• This uses capital raised from farming and surpluses

Culture remains collective, but SOME entrepeneurs

Example:

Nigeria

• Infrastructure developing
• Mining based economy with hgue and expanding exports
• Low - no welfare
• High consumption in urban areas
• Culture is individualistic in cities, but collective culture elsewhere
• Low / little education

• Introduction and rapid growth of manufactoring industry
• Improvements in infrastructure and financial investment increases

Education = the Norm

Beanpole families

Geographical and economic movement

Example:

Russia

• Developing infrastructure > ongoing, with new industries and growing service sector
• Growing population and growing GNI
• Mainly educating and individualistic society
• Highly patriachal and highly conformist

• New ideas and industries - replace manufacturing
• Wealth spreads throughout society
• Urban cities grow
• Population grows
• Export grow

Culture begins to become meritocratic and mobile = CITY GROWTH

Example:

China

• High urban population, world leader in economic growth and exports
• Good education, service economy and high consumption of resources
• Highly developed welfare
• Collective Culture
• Ancestor worship common

• More wealth = more consumption = more industry to supply goods and service
• Welfare systems developed
• Trade expands

Culture is individualistic and competitive - few family ties

Example:

USA

• High urban population, world leader in economic growth and exports
• Good education, service ecnomy and high consumption of resources
• Individualistic culture
• Poorly developed welfare

Rostow took an historical approach in suggesting that developed countries have tended to pass through 5 stages to reach their current degree of economic development.

• The Western World - seen as the best point along the five stages
• The West - used as a template for other countries
• The West - Ethnocentricity