Capitalism, Industrialisation and Development

Abstract

In Chapter 3 we were looking at the way in which environmental and demographic factors can provide variable conditions of existence for capitalist development. As such we were concerned to disaggregate the concept of capitalism itself. In this chapter we shall be changing tack somewhat. From now on we will assume that ‘capitalism’ is established in the Third World, and will inquire instead into its supposed effects. More precisely we will examine the scope for, and nature of, industrialisation in the Third World. Besides being a topic of intrinsic importance, the debate surrounding this issue strikes at the very heart of radical geography’s theories of capitalist underdevelopment.