Empirical studies on the process of structural change lead to the conclusion that the pace and pattern of development can vary according to both domestic and international factors, many of which lie beyond the control of an individual developing
nation. Yet despite this variation, structural-change economists argue that one can identify certain patterns occurring in almost all countries during the development process. And these patterns, they argue, may be affected by the choice of development policies pursued by LDC governments as well as the international trade and foreign-assistance policies of developed nations. Hence structural-change analysts are basically optimistic that the “correct” mix of economic policies will generate beneficial patterns of self-sustaining growth. The international-dependence school to which we now turn, is, in contrast, much less sanguine and is in many cases downright pessimistic.