BigTurtle at 22:29, 20 October 2007

2007-10-20T22:29:52Z

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In an article that first appeared in 1965, the economist [[E.F. Schumacher]] described as follows the type of technology that would be most appropriate in developing countries:

:An Intermediate Technology would be immensely more productive than the indigenous technology (which is often in a condition of decay), but it would also be immensely cheaper than the sophisticated, highly capital-intensive technology of modern industry ... The equipment would be fairly simple and therefore understandable, suitable for maintenance and repair on the spot. Simple equipment is normally far less dependent on raw materials of great purity or exact specifications, and much more adaptable to market fluctuation than highly sophisticated equipment. Men are more easily trained; supervision, control and organisation are simpler; and there is far less vulnerability to unforeseen difficulties.

[[E.F. Schumacher]] thus saw Intermediate Technology as a half-way compromise between insufficient "indigenous technology" and overly sophisticated "capital-intensive technology". He described it in specifically economic terms as a technology that is at least an order of magnitude (10 times) more expensive than that prevalent in a developing nation yet at least an order of magnitude less expensive than that prevalent in a developed nation offering aid.

==See also==
[[Appropriate Technology]]

[[Category:Appropriate Technology]]

Intermediate Technology - Revision history

BigTurtle at 22:29, 20 October 2007