Abstract

LOPEZ MUNOZ, Laura Vanessa. Poverty and Rural Underdevelopment in Colombia. An Analysis from the Urban Bias Theory. Estud. Polit. [online]. 2019, n.54, pp.59-81. ISSN 0121-5167.  https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.espo.n54a04.

Poverty in rural areas has been a persistent condition throughout Colombian history. In order to broadening the understanding of those dynamics that contribute to the perpetuation of poverty, this article analyzes Colombian rural underdevelopment from the perspective of the Urban Bias Theory, proposed by Michael Lipton in 1977, and based on an historical review. The study found that the detriment of the rural regions of the country is due to the political and economic processes promoted by urban elites, who seek for their own benefit and urban development. The results show low provision of public services for the rural inhabitants, when compared to urban areas. This paper also presents an interpretation of the Colombian armed conflict and migration flows from the countryside to the cities as additional consequences and perpetuators of the urban bias in Colombia.

Keywords : Political Economy; Urban Bias; Poverty; Underdevelopment; Colombia.

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