Classic modernization theory relies on an empirical association between income and democracy. The variant of modernization theory examined in Chapter 6 states that it is not income per se that encourages democracy but, rather, changes in the socioeconomic structure of a country that accompany development. The advantage of this variant of modernization theory is that it explicitly provides a causal mechanism linking economic development and democracy. Scholars testing this variant often continue to use a measure of income (such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita) to represent the level of development. Why?
A) because a country's GDP per capita exactly measures the level of development of its socioeconomic structure
B) because a country's level of GDP is generally a reasonable proxy (substitute) for the level of development of a country's socioeconomic structure (To capture other features, scholars often include measures of natural resource abundance, such as oil, as well.)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Scholars use a measure of income (such as GDP per capita) as a proxy for the level of development of a country's socioeconomic structure, as it is generally correlated with other indicators of development. However, scholars may also include other measures, such as natural resource abundance, to capture additional features of a country's structure.

Classic Modernization Theory Relies on an Empirical Association Between Income