Intermediate Technology in China’s Rural Industries

In an age of remarkable technological feats, it is natural that great stress should be put on the search for technological solutions to the problems of less developed countries. In pursuing technologies suitable to the factor proportions, foreign exchange availabilities and skill levels of developing countries, it must not be forgotten that technology interacts in a complex variety of ways with other components of culture and society, and that these ‘externalities’ play a role in determining the appropriateness of particular techniques.