Self-Reliance and Industrialization Goals: An Unfinished Task

This chapter offers a critical interrogation of the enduring impediments and unrealized ambitions surrounding the pursuit of self-reliance and industrialization in developing economies. Notwithstanding decades of targeted policy interventions, strategic planning, and international cooperation, numerous countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America remain mired in structural dependencies, constrained technological capacities, and underdeveloped industrial infrastructures. The analysis traces the post-independence industrial trajectories of these nations, elucidating the intricate interplay between global economic asymmetries, internal policy deficits, and institutional vulnerabilities. It further scrutinizes the extent to which neoliberal globalization, trade liberalization, and the burden of external debt have curtailed prospects for autonomous industrial development. Through the lens of comparative case studies, this chapter accentuates the imperative for revitalized, state-driven industrial policies, robust investment in indigenous innovation, strengthened regional integration, and a reoriented development paradigm grounded in inclusivity, sustainability, and contextual relevance. The study ultimately posits that the quest for genuine self-reliance remains an unresolved and multifaceted challenge—yet one that is essential for fostering equitable growth and securing long-term economic sovereignty in the Global South.