Limitations of the Use of Modernization Theory in Formulating and Implementing Development Policies in Africa – The case of Tanzania and Malawi

Despite the progress that Africa has been making in terms of economic development, many countries still face issues such as poverty, inequality, and conflict. Africa houses have plentiful economic resources. Paradoxically, the continent languishes in poverty as evidenced by high prevalence of famine, diseases and ignorance (Matunhu, 2011). For example, out of 189 countries that are ranked by UNDP Human Development Index (HDI), Seychelles – the first African country with 0.801 index is ranked 62 globally (World population Review, 2020). Again, there are only 9 countries including Seychelles that are categorized within High HDI adding Mauritius, Algeria, Tunisia, Botswana, Libya, South Africa, Gabon and Egypt. These are the only African countries out of 54 with HDI above 0.700. The point of reference in this article, Tanzania and Malawi sit 159 and 172 respectively on HDI global rank. This shows that Malawi sits 18th from the bottom. Apart from HDI, another related measure of living standard is real GDP per head. 2019 real GDP per capita shows that most African countries sit at the bottom with Tanzania and Malawi on 153 and 182 respectively. Malawi is found at 8th position shy from the bottom (worldbank.org, 2019).

This manuscript attributes the poverty and economic stagnation to theories of development because the way African society deals with underdevelopment is influenced by development theories more specifically the highly used modernization theory of development by Talcott Parson. In the explicitness of this manuscript, there is no place of blame on African countries for employing the theory rather it aims to excavate the loop holes of modernization theory in order to expose its shaky premises that makes it unworthy to be used for policy formulation and programming