Topic 2: 2.2 There is global inequality in development and different theories in how it can be reduced — Edexcel GCSE Geography B
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Topic 2: 2.2 There is global inequality in development and different theories in how it can be reduced explained
Topic 2: 2.2 There is global inequality in development and different theories in how it can be reduced covers 2 specification points, including A.
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The causes and consequences of global… and B. How Rostow’s modernisation theory and…. Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
a. The causes and consequences of global inequalities; social (education, health), historical (colonialism, neo-colonialism), environmental (climate, topography), economic and political (systems of governance, international relations).
Explain causes and consequences of global inequalities across five factor groups. Social: unequal access to education and health care limits skills and life expectancy. Historical: colonialism extracted resources and drew borders; neo-colonialism keeps poorer states dependent through debt, aid or trade. Environmental: climate hazards such as drought and flooding, and topography such as mountains or a landlocked location, affect farming and infrastructure. Economic and political: weak systems of governance, such as corruption, and international relations, such as unfair trade rules, restrict development. Link each factor to a consequence, for example poor health reducing productivity.
b. How Rostow’s modernisation theory and Frank’s dependency theory can be used to explain how and why countries develop over time.
This criterion asks you to use two theories to explain how and why countries develop over time. Rostow's modernisation theory presents development as five linear stages: traditional society, preconditions for take-off, take-off, drive to maturity and high mass consumption. Progress depends on investment, savings and technology. Frank's dependency theory argues that underdevelopment is caused by unequal links between a core of wealthy countries and a periphery of poorer ones, which extract resources and profit. Use it to explain why some countries stay poor despite aid or trade. Show how each theory explains change, why it happens, and where each one is limited by evidence from a named example.
Your focus
- Explain social, historical, environmental, economic and political causes of global inequality, each with a clear mechanism.
- Distinguish colonialism from neo-colonialism using accurate historical examples.
- Link causes of global inequality to consequences for development.
Show all 6 objectives
- Describe the five stages in Rostow's model and the core-periphery model in Frank's dependency theory.
- Explain how each theory accounts for development and underdevelopment over time.
- Apply both theories to one named country and identify which theory better explains its development.
Topic 2: 2.2 There is global inequality in development and different theories in how it can be reduced exam tips
Marking Points
- Identifies at least one social, historical, environmental, economic and political cause of global inequality.
- Distinguishes colonialism, direct rule by a foreign power, from neo-colonialism, continued economic influence after independence.
- Explains a named environmental factor, such as climate or topography, and links it to a consequence for development.
- Describes a consequence of inequality, such as lower life expectancy or reduced investment, and links it to a cause.
- Connects systems of governance or international relations to an effect on development through a clear mechanism.
- Describes Rostow's five stages in sequence and explains that development moves through them in order.
- Explains why countries progress, such as through capital investment, savings and technological change.
- Explains Frank's core-periphery model and states that exploitation keeps peripheral countries underdeveloped.
- Applies each theory to a named country or example rather than describing the theory in isolation.
- Makes a supported judgement about how far each theory explains the development of the chosen example.
- Recognises that Rostow treats development as linear while Frank treats it as shaped by unequal global relations.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Structure the answer around the factor groups, with one cause and one consequence each, to avoid repetition.
- 💡Use the wording of the specification, such as systems of governance and international relations, to show coverage.
- 💡Use a named country or region for at least one cause, and explain how it produced the inequality.
- 💡Plan one paragraph for each theory, then a short paragraph comparing how each one explains change over time.
- 💡Name one example country and use its data to test the claims of each theory.
- 💡Begin each paragraph with a sentence that states whether it answers how or why, so the answer stays focused on the question.
Common Mistakes
- Lists causes without linking any of them to a consequence; adds a consequence and a mechanism for each cause.
- Treats colonialism and neo-colonialism as the same; separates direct colonial rule from later economic dependence.
- Describes climate as the only environmental cause; includes topography and explains how it limits farming or transport.
- Gives political causes as general opinion without naming governance or international relations as the mechanism.
- Treats Rostow's stages as a fixed timetable that every country must follow; present them as a model that critics have challenged.
- Describes Frank's theory as being only about aid, which misses the core-periphery exploitation that explains underdevelopment.
- Writes about both theories without answering how and why; link each point to a process and a cause.