What Is Developmentalism?
Developmentalism is an economic theory which states that the best way for less developed economies to develop is through fostering a strong and varied internal market and imposing high tariffs on imported goods. Part of the Technocratic family.
Definition
Developmentalism is an economic theory which states that the best way for less developed economies to develop is through fostering a strong and varied internal market and imposing high tariffs on imported goods.
Definition quoted from Wikipedia: Developmentalism (text available under CC BY-SA 4.0; checked October 20, 2026).
Core ideas
- State-led industrialization.
- Industrial policy and protection of new industries.
- Growth as a national priority.
Origins
Latin America and East Asia, mid-20th century.
Associated thinkers and leaders
Raúl Prebisch
Core ideas, origins and thinkers: Atlas summary.
Where Developmentalism sits on the Atlas maps
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 48 | near the center | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 43 | near the center | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 50 | near the center | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 69 | toward nationalist | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 47 | near the center |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 72 | toward private ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 54 | near the center |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 69 | toward nationalist |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 46 | near the center |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 46 | near the center |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 63 | near the center |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 87 | strongly toward state planning |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 47 | near the center |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 35 | toward secular state |
These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the tradition’s core principles through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.
Estimated positions on key questions
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Religious doctrine should take precedence over civil law when they conflict. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Opposition parties should be free to compete in elections. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| People should be free to criticize the government without fear of legal punishment. | Agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| National borders should become less important over time. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Markets generally distribute goods more effectively than government planners. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Class distinctions should gradually disappear. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Same-sex couples should have the same right to marry as opposite-sex couples. | Agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Non-intervention should be the default even when allies request military assistance. | Disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Healthcare should be provided to everyone by the government and paid for through taxes. | Disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
Related ideologies
Main differences from the closest ideologies
- Compared with Kemalism, Developmentalism sits 23 points further toward cosmopolitan on the national identity dimension.
- Compared with Economic Nationalism, Developmentalism sits 21 points further toward progressive on the social dimension.
- Compared with Technocracy, Developmentalism sits 33 points further toward nationalist on the national identity dimension.
Figures with the closest estimated positions
Closeness of estimated positions only; this does not mean these people identify with Developmentalism.
Sources
Position last reviewed: not yet reviewed individually.