This paper examines the role of comparative education from the perspective of the dependent society, with particular attention to Latin America and the Caribbean. The paper starts by comparing the theories of dependence developed in both dominant and dependent societies. The Marxist theory and the liberal, "developmental" theories that are current in dominant western societies are contrasted with the structural theories more recently expressed by Latin American social scientists. The paper then looks specifically at the application of the theory of dependence to education, a development that has sparked increasing international interest. The work of two Latin American scholars, Freire and Berger, is emphasized. The paper then reviews the schools of administrative thought dominating Latin American educational administration since colonial times, including juridical, business, behavioral, and sociological approaches. According to the paper, the consequences of the Western European and colonial influences have been to leave Latin American countries saddled with formal educational structures that are inappropriate to national needs. Finding more appropriate educational forms will require abandoning both old and new imported ideas while developing new, autochthonous forms to replace them. (PGD)