Using case studies of French-speaking West Africa and Southern Appalachia, this paper examines the role of traditional culture in developing regions by challenging current theories on that subject. The capitalistic and Marxist approaches that dominated well into the 1960s maintained that elimination of traditional social relations and values was necessary for progress in underdeveloped areas. The strategy was to introduce modernizing influences which would transform local independence and self-sufficiency by integration into a market economy. Residents would internalize this perception and see progress in relation to urbanization. The romantic approach toward development which appeared in the 1960s and 1970s blamed external forces rather than native residents for the lack of development. This theory attributed underdevelopment to imperialist expansion by industrialized societies. However, it is important to note that underdevelopment would exist even without external exploitation. A synthesis of the capitalistic, Marxist, and romantic ideologies seems to be the best approach to understanding the relationship between traditional values and modernizing influences in developing areas. Balanced, humane development goals will be achieved by people who recognize, respect, and work with existing cultural values, but do not over-glamorize them. (Author/KC)