Final answer:
Dependency theory claims that the exploitation of poor countries by rich countries is the reason for global stratification, in contrast to modernization theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dependency theory differs from modernization theory in that it highlights how global stratification results from the exploitation of poor countries by rich countries. Unlike modernization theory, which suggests poor nations can develop economically by following the path of industrialized nations, dependency theory argues that the wealth of rich countries comes at the expense of poor countries. This is because core nations (high-income countries) exploit the resources and labor of peripheral and semi-peripheral nations (middle-income and low-income countries), leading to a cycle of dependence that prevents these poorer nations from achieving stable economic growth.