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In [[international economics]], '''overdevelopment''' refers to a way of seeing [[global inequality]] and [[pollution]] that focuses on the negative consequences of [[overconsumption|excessive consumption]]. It exists as the mutually constitutive counterpart to the more commonly known concept of '[[underdevelopment]]'.
In mainstream [[development theory]], the existence of 'underdeveloped' states, regions or cultures is seen as a problem that needs to be solved. States, regions, cultures and people are considered 'underdeveloped' in that they do not adhere to [[Eurocentric]] ideals of [[rationality]], [[Social progress|progress]], and [[modernity]] that are associated with the [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]]. In contrast, the framework of overdevelopment shifts the focus to the 'developed' countries of the [[North–South divide in the World|global North]], asking "questions about why excessive consumption amongst the affluent is not also seen foremost as an issue of development".<ref name="power">[http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~courses/PoliticalScience/357B1/documents/MarcusPowerAntiRacismDeconstructionOverdevelopment.pdf Power, Marcus, "Anti-racism, deconstruction and 'overdevelopment' ", ''Progress in Development Studies'', 2006; 6; p. 27]</ref>
By questioning how and why uneven development is produced in the world, one can evaluate the global North’s role and responsibility as “overdevelopers” in producing global inequality. According to various surveys, consumption is seemingly not making people notably happy, but rather increasing the West's [[ecological footprint]].<ref>Barkin, Samuel J. "Trade, Sustainable Development and the Environment", ''Global Environmental Politics'' 3:4, November 2003</ref> Overdevelopment has a huge impact on the environment, the social realm, [[human rights]], and the [[World economy|global economy]]. {{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}
==Origins==
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