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Does Rostow’s model of economic development remain relevant today?

As we debate new paradigms like sustainable or post-growth development, I keep encountering Rostow's model as a historical baseline. In my development economics seminars, we're divided on whether it's entirely obsolete or retains some diagnostic value. I'm looking for a pragmatic assessment from someone who has applied these theories in the field.

 

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By Riya N Answered 2 years ago

Having worked with development agencies, I see Rostow's model as a useful historical artifact but a poor contemporary blueprint. Its linear, Eurocentric path is its fundamental flaw; I have seen economies "skip" stages or become trapped in new forms of dependency it never envisioned. However, I would recommend it as a starting point to critique it frames the classic questions about investment, take-off, and drivers of growth. Its real value today is in highlighting what more complex theories like sustainability or institutional economics must account for.

 

 

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