Walter W. Rostow

Walter W. Rostow was an American economist and political theorist best known for his idea that countries develop through five stages: traditional society, preconditions for takeoff, takeoff, drive to maturity, and age of high mass consumption. He believed economic growth and modernization follow a linear path, with countries moving from traditional ways to advanced, consumer-driven economies. Rostow’s theories influenced development policies during the Cold War era, emphasizing industrialization and economic progress as key to national strength. His ideas remain significant in understanding economic development, though they have also been critiqued for oversimplifying complex social and political factors.