Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate the link between, on the one hand, the concept of extractivism, and, on the other, the dependency theories that, in the 1970s, tried to explain the underdevelopment of South American countries with the centre-periphery binomial. The contribution delves into the evolution, from extractivism to neo-extractivism, of economic models based on commodity extraction, and highlights the crucial role of the progressive Governments of the first years of the 21st century within this transition. Two main aspects are highlighted: the persistent economic dependency between commodity-exporting countries and importing countries, and the broadening of the concept of extractivism, which is necessary to understand the contemporary forms of exploitation of labour, territory, and relationships within the neo-liberal phase. The paper also addresses the struggles that arise against the spread of the extractivist model (environmental and unionist struggles, as well as the ones for civil and political rights), and ends with a consideration on the dramatic increase in demand for commodities related to energy transition