theories of social change
SOC2601
Assignment 2
Semester 2
Theories of Social Change
Student number:
DECLARATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
1 INTRODUCTION 3
2. THE CORE
3. THE PERIPHERY
4. THE SEMI-PERIPHERY
5. CONCLUSION
1. INTRODUCTION
In this essay we will be focusing on the three structural positions in the international division of labour specifically in the capitalist world economy. Using Immanuel Wallerstein’s theory we will discuss the World-system, which refers to the inter-regional and transnational division of labor, which divides the world into core countries, semi-periphery countries and the periphery countries.
Core countries focus on skilled work, capital-intensive production. Where as the rest of the world focuses on lower skilled work, labor-intensive production and extraction of raw materials. This constantly reinforces the dominance of the core countries. A world-system is a social system, one that has boundaries, structures, member groups, and rules of legitimating. It is held up by the conflicts that hold it together by rebuilding to its advantage. It is defined as wear or strong depending on the internal workings of its functionality. The difference between dependency theory and the world system theory is that dependency focuses on “ their analysis on nation-states” and Wallerstein focus’ on “ the total social system” (Thomas 2012:142).
The division of a world-economy involves a hierarchy of work-related tasks, in which tasks requiring higher levels of skill and greater capitalisation are reserved for higher-ranking areas. Since a capitalist world-economy essentially rewards accumulated capital, including human capital, at a higher rate than "raw" labor power, the geographical misdistribution of these occupational skills involves a strong
Assignment 2
Semester 2
Theories of Social Change
Student number:
DECLARATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
1 INTRODUCTION 3
2. THE CORE
3. THE PERIPHERY
4. THE SEMI-PERIPHERY
5. CONCLUSION
1. INTRODUCTION
In this essay we will be focusing on the three structural positions in the international division of labour specifically in the capitalist world economy. Using Immanuel Wallerstein’s theory we will discuss the World-system, which refers to the inter-regional and transnational division of labor, which divides the world into core countries, semi-periphery countries and the periphery countries.
Core countries focus on skilled work, capital-intensive production. Where as the rest of the world focuses on lower skilled work, labor-intensive production and extraction of raw materials. This constantly reinforces the dominance of the core countries. A world-system is a social system, one that has boundaries, structures, member groups, and rules of legitimating. It is held up by the conflicts that hold it together by rebuilding to its advantage. It is defined as wear or strong depending on the internal workings of its functionality. The difference between dependency theory and the world system theory is that dependency focuses on “ their analysis on nation-states” and Wallerstein focus’ on “ the total social system” (Thomas 2012:142).
The division of a world-economy involves a hierarchy of work-related tasks, in which tasks requiring higher levels of skill and greater capitalisation are reserved for higher-ranking areas. Since a capitalist world-economy essentially rewards accumulated capital, including human capital, at a higher rate than "raw" labor power, the geographical misdistribution of these occupational skills involves a strong