Since the end of the second world war special international interest has been devoted to the economically' underdeveloped countries. The question is, in what way can the welfare of these societies be rapidly increased and their standard of living raised. An enormous volume of literature on this subject has been published in the last decade and many international organi zations are engaged upon the study of the problem, which - to quote VAN BEUKERING - resolves itself into as many problems as there are underdeveloped areas 1. Much fruitful work has already been done in this field, and in some...