Economic Geography Notes (Chapter 1)
Uneven Development
- "is a fundamental and necessary characteristic of the capital system through which our global capitalist economy is organized" - capitalist= profit making & competition - "we need poverty of others in order to keep ourselves in affordable comfort"
Characteristics of a Third World
- came to represent countries that were underdeveloped (low economic developing, low life expectancy, high rates of poverty and disease)
Geopolitical Affecting Economic Development
- geographical concepts relates to the specificity of particular places. The concept of universalism doesn't alway work with every location example: - in Niger, trying to understand the famine we can't arrive with a set of assumptions. One has to take a comprehensive look at their economy rather than one based on a formal monetary exchange and meeting of supply and demand in the market place. Its important to know about the relationship between large landholders and politicians and the role the government plays in economic processes, such as cropping decisions by farmers, irrigation schemes and marketing of produce. All these things are based on an areas geopolitical location so they differ from area to area affecting their economic development
4 interrelated elements of space applied to Niger 1.) territoriality & form 2.) location & space 3.) flows across space 4.) uneven development
1.) Territoriality & Form = Nigers particular landform as landlocked (surrounded by land, no coastline) 2.) Location & Space = (physically and geopolitically) the coordinated of a location in relation to others = environmental characteristics: climate and ecological features - Desertification: materially important that Niger is located in belts of Sahara desert and savannah grassland = geopolitically: Niger is not seen by powerful countries as particularly important 3.) Flows across space = economists reasons for Nigers condition - poor resource endowments - low productivity - environmental degradation - insufficient government - inadequate infrastructure - overpopulation (all relate to processes within its border) - important to recognize significance of Nigers connections and relationships with outside -historical roots of Niger in French period
Scales - Global scale - Macro-region - National scale - Subnational or Regional - Local scale
Global Scale - role of the US agency for international development (USAID) Macro-region - common environmental and colonial experiences - ex: Niger & Sub-Saharan National Scale - offered solutions presented at national level - ex: trade agreements, investment incentives, infrastructure Subnational/ Regional - famine was largely rural Local Scale - food access was determined by system of use agricultural lands or grazing rights, money lending and retailing
Critiques of economic geography - Universalism - Economic rationality prevails - Competition and equilibrium - Belief in economic processes base certain laws and purposes
Universalism = one size fits all approach to development and other economic processes = basic health, education, and infrastructure are seen as foundations to inevitable growth based on countries natural advantages Economic rationality prevails = individuals act by themselves to maximize economic gains (homo economics assumption) = economic man: his ability to achieve his predetermined goals = food traders will demand high prices even if people are starving Competition and Equilibrium = the market mechanism will always find the greatest efficiency and productivity = basic principle in economics: equilibrium achieved through perfect competition in the market = producers maximum economic efficiency when supply meets demand at a particular price