Center-Periphery Theories of Samir Amin

Description

Michel Bauwens:

A reminder of the vocabulary:

   - Sector 1: Industrial Equipment
   - Sector 2: Mass consumption goods
   - Sector 3: Export-oriented Consumption
   - Sector 4: Luxury Goods

- Center countries had S1 and S2 in a auto-centered model - Periphery countries had S3 and S4 in a extraverted model, coupled with a non-capitalist traditional sector of farming, responsible for the reproduction of labour.

In this old developmental model, the traditional sector could e used for cheap labour and capital accumulation so that the periphery could also become self-centered. But this no longer works. Hence, we need a new model of "sustainable" development, fit for the era of cognitive capitalism.

The traditional sectors can no longer be seen as archaic, but through their experience in maintaining biodiversity, are actually prefigurations of the future, and can be coupled to the new ecological sciences of energy and resource savings.

Cognitive capital becomes central and is dependent on the development of collective intellectual institutions, immaterial investments becoming key (education, health, social investments).

The two factors above require an essentially egalitarian vision. (https://wiki.p2pfoundation.net/Mulitudes_10_on_Development#Article_2_:_The_Center-Periphery_Theories_of_Samir_Amin)

Source

• Reading notes of Michel Bauwens, see Mulitudes 10 on Development