We explain what interdependence is and why it can be positive or negative. Furthermore, economic and social interdependence.
What is interdependence?
By the word interdependence we understand, in numerous and diverse contexts, any form of reciprocal dependence, that is, the relationship in which two or more individuals or entities require each other they need each other.
This meaning is easy to deduce if we observe that the word is made up of the prefix “inter” which denotes correspondence, reciprocity, or simply something that is in the middle; the verb “depend” and the suffix “-cia” that expresses condition.
Interdependence is talked about and reflected on from many points of view, considering biological, personal, social, economic, institutional relationships, and a long etcetera.
In all cases, however, the sense of reciprocal necessity is maintained: in every relationship of interdependence, if one of the terms fails or is omitted, the other will suffer the consequences; If one of them can continue unchanged in the absence of the other, we cannot speak of interdependence.
The Indian philosopher Mahatma Ghandi (1869-1948) was one of the great defenders of this concept as the ideal method for forming societies and for relations between nations, stating that Recognizing how much human beings need each other is the beginning of peace equity and the suppression of selfishness.
Positive and negative interdependence
According to the traditional approach, interdependence in any area can be classified into two types: positive and negative.
- Positive interdependence. It is one that promotes mutual benefit through the established relationship of need, to the extent that the two individuals benefit from their bond. For example, two nations whose foreign trade is interdependent, that is, who need to maintain their commercial link to an equal and crucial extent, will promote the exchange of goods and knowledge in a much closer and simpler way than two nations whose commercial relations are distant or between which there is no trade.
- Negative interdependence. It is one, on the contrary, that weakens dependent individuals, which generally has the effect of increasing mutual dependence to levels in which neither of the two can satisfy the needs that initially raised the bond. These types of relationships of negative interdependence usually occur, to insist on the same example, between nations whose commercial relations are so mutually necessary that they are willing to forgive or turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed by their partner, going so far as to justify wars and crimes against humanity in order to maintain the bond of mutual dependence.
Economic interdependence
Interdependence is a basic and key concept in economics, which is based on an observable reality: no one produces absolutely everything they need to live, and to that extent Society exists so that some of us can produce what others need and vice versa.
The contemporary economy works based on the need to produce in a specialized way and market with other producers, so that what we are unable to produce we can buy with the money received from the sale of what we do produce.
The same thing happens between nations, for example. Exports and imports constitute a trade balance that allows us to offer what is produced and obtain what is demanded, although this process does not always occur precisely in friendly terms and mutual dependence, since other non-economic factors intervene in it.
Social interdependence
In a similar way to the previous case, social interdependence means that, as a society, human beings require each other reciprocally, given that we are gregarious animals (we always tend towards the herd).
This aspect of our species has been studied enormously by sociology, social psychology and even educational sciences, since it has been proven that Human beings reach their greatest potential when they have meaningful relationships with others: relationships, precisely, interdependent, associative, in which one gives and receives.
Continue with: Feedback
References
- “Interdependence” on Wikipedia.
- “Interdependence” in the Language Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “Positive and negative interdependence” (video) on Dukascopy TV.
- “Social interdependence” by Javier Marzal in Nuevo Management.
- “Basic economics: interdependence” in Social Studies for Kids.
