Infrastructure And Economic Development In Developing Countries: The Historical Cases Of China And South Africa

The author has examined the usefulness of infrastructure services as tools for economic development and poverty alleviation in developing countries as it is proven to be true by many studies, to have played a major role in the development of many developed industrialized countries. The author will look at two case studies of China and South Africa in terms of their developments and how they are currently tackling to reduce poverty through the means of infrastructure development. The author chose the case studies of China and South Africa because both countries are considered being among the developing countries with emerging markets and have the best economic developments in their continents. The Author views that for a developing country to reduce poverty and boost their economic development, infrastructure services has to be put in place and economic growth has to prosper and the citizens have to have access to better health, clean water, education and other basic necessities.The author main argument is that infrastructure development can only contribute to economic development and poverty reduction if developing countries efficiently and effectively improve their infrastructures to provide basic needs to all citizens. The big push theory applied to this argument, because the theory argues that the investments should be of a relatively high minimum in order to reap the benefits of external economies. Only investments in big complexes will result in social benefits exceeding social costs. High priority is given to infrastructural development and industry, and this emphasis will lead to governmental development planning and influence.The research also provides some examples how China and South Africa's infrastructure development benefitted their regions to influence a harmonizing and trade co-operational regions. The author suggested some important policies for tackling poverty in developing countries.