The European Underdevelopment of Africa

Definitions of Underdevelopment and Development.
Nicholas Obunga.

Development

The indices of development, whether personal or communal, may not always be quantitative, but qualitative. Since some development is based on moral rather than economic or even infrastructure. It must however be noted that whatever the type or level of development, it is tied in with the state of the society as a whole.

Development may also be viewed as the ability of one group to protect its freedom while at the same time being able to infringe on he freedom of others. How well a group of people can exploit natural resources and the amount of production may also be a measure of development.

Underdevelopment

Underdevelopment is not the lack of development. Very group in the world today has attained some level of development. Underdevelopment is a term that is used when comparing the levels of development among various groups.

From an economic standpoint, several groups have been able to produce more and so grow wealthier than their neighbors. This what brings about the question of how they have been able to do so. Underdevelopment is used when referring to this disparity.

A good example would be the fact that Europe and America are highly development whereas their Asia, Africa and South American peers wallow in poverty. The latter group can be said to be “backward or underdeveloped”.