Firstly,this paper defines the meaning of the disadvantages of backwardness and advantages of backwardness in the modern economic development of backward areas.Secondly,it analyses the disadvantages of and advantages of backwardness in the modern economic development of backward areas from various angels in the real background of economic development in China.Thirdly, it analyses the role of the central and local governments in the process of overcoming or reducing the disadvantages of backwardness in the backward areas. At last, it analyses the role of the central and local governments in the process of making use of the advantages in these areas.P