List of maps -- List of illustrations -- List of figures -- List of tables -- Acknowledgements -- The sociology of development -- Introduction -- Aims of the text -- Key sociological questions -- Measures of inequality and development -- Introduction -- The concept of poverty-- The Third World and its poverty -- The basic needs strategy -- The perception of development from below -- Modernisation theory -- introduction -- The theoretical origins of modernisation theory -- Modernisation theory -- Summary of modernisation theory and its implications -- The critique of modernisation theory -- Conclusion -- Theories of underdevelopment -- Introduction -- Marx's theory of capitalism and class conflict -- The exploitation of the Third World : an account of merchant capitalism, colonialism and neo-colonialism -- Explanations for underdevelopment -- Conclusion.

Population, urbanisation and education -- Introduction -- Population -- Urbanisation -- Education and industrialisation -- Conclusion -- Political development and social class -- Introduction -- Third World politics : the analysis of instability -- Military intervention in the Third World -- Conclusion -- Development planning and aid -- Introduction -- The failure of development aid -- Rural development programmes -- Conclusion -- Critique of industrialisation -- Introduction -- The populist challenge to industrialisation -- The ecological critique of industrialisation -- Alternative technology -- Conclusion -- Conclusion -- Introduction -- Development models and policies -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Author index -- Subject index.