Two development theories: Ibn-i-Khaldoun and Wallerstein

Abstract

Purpose – Each day, many different people in different societies are striving within their daily work to advance society. Every society needs to create ideas for further development and in order to become recognised as developed. The purpose of this paper is to show how different cultures at different times created similar ideas and theories to develop their society. Design/methodology/approach – A comparison between the development theories of Ibn-i-Khaldun and Wallerstein's famous “world system theory” is undertaken to show that similar ideas of development were in existence even centuries before. Technically, seminar papers were posted and reviewed on an e-learning platform in order to reach such peer-reviewed assessment in a “Global Studies” curriculum. Findings – The paper shows that the similarity between all developed countries is a strong state and extensive economic activity in different areas among cooperative people. All of these three characteristics are measurable and visible in today's western societies, and also centuries before in other countries (the Golden Age of the Muslim World). Research limitations/implications – Limits to comparing the two development theories of Ibn-i-Khaldun with Wallerstein's world system theory arise because of the large gap in time and the big cultural differences between the authors of the two theories. There is, on one side, Ibn-i-Khaldun in the thirteenth century whose religion (Islam) played an important role in his development theory and on the other side there is a western author, Immanuel Wallerstein in the twentieth century. In Wallerstein's development theory, religion has almost no role. Another point is that Wallerstein's theory provides a guideline to almost all countries for reaching development but Ibn-i-Khaldun's target countries are the Muslim countries which were experiencing decline at his time. Originality/value – Unlike traditional approaches, the present analysis includes early scientific theories from non-European authors. Thus, one of the main objectives of “Global Studies” is fulfilled; namely a trans-disciplinary, globalised perspective.