Was Arthur Lewis's model of development too simple?

Answered in Arthur Lewis's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

Some have argued my models, particularly the dual sector approach, may oversimplify complex realities. While I acknowledged the existence of various factors, my aim was to isolate core mechanisms driving development. The 'unlimited supplies of labor' assumption, for instance, was a powerful theoretical tool to understand initial stages of industrialization, rather than a literal description of all situations. The model provided a foundational framework.

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