Citation

Albuquerque EM. Camb. J. Econ. 2007; 31(5): 669-690.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Cambridge Political Economy Society, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/cje/bel045

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Inadequacy of technology is a child of structuralism; the concept of a national system of innovation (NSI) is a child of evolutionary theory. A dialogue between these concepts can enrich our understanding of the problems involved in building NSIs at the periphery. Celso Furtado explains the structural roots of modernisation-marginalisation polarisation and how the orientation of technology of underdeveloped countries is embedded in income concentration. The formation of welfare states at the periphery provides NSIs with a new 'focusing device', helping to break the marginalisation side of the process. The combined formation of NSIs and welfare systems is an institutional response to modernisation-marginalisation polarisation.