What is development?

1
What is development?

• JMS3 JDD 2006
• From Servaes

2
Common sense notions?

• We hope it will overcome poverty, misery,
  powerlessness and disease and help put people in
  reach of a better standard of living.

3
Is development about economics?

• Modernisation - development must be about growth
  and improved productive capacity (the power to
  produce more goods and services).
• One could measure development in terms of health
  and education, but some argue that what has to
  underpin these things is a societys ability to
  become more and more productive.

4
Is development about human needs?

• Some argue that development cannot simply be
  measured by the amount of money we earn.
• To what extent are basic human needs being met by
  society as a whole.
• Eg. We are richer than Cuba, but we import their
  doctors and teachers.

5
How is development distributed?

• Who determines how the increased profits of the
  global economy are being distributed?
• Why is our economy losing jobs when we have a
  3.5 growth rate?
• Are the goods we produce (eg. armaments)
  appropriate or useful?

6
Is economic development linked to political
development?

• What is the relationship between democracy and
  development?

7
Underdeveloped vs. undeveloped?

• Underdeveloped is mostly used to imply that some
  countries, regions or people have been actively
  ripped off by outside agencies and forces. Eg.
  Colonialism and neo-colonialism, globalisation.
• In SA a systematic process of underdevelopment
  dispossession, deskilling, denial of
  opportunities and capital and the economic effect
  of political, cultural and linguistic domination.
  
• Undeveloped implies pristine situation.

8
Modernisation theory

• Paradigm. Supported the transferring of
  technology and the sociopolitical culture of the
  developed societies to the traditional
  societies.
• Development economic growth.
• Developed Western societies are the ultimate
  models, which LDC or underdeveloped countries
  aspire to
• Attitudes of backward people (traditionalism,
  bad taste, superstition, fatalism) are obstacles
• Bridging the gap, catching up.
• Did not look at fundamental differences between
  countries (just the degree of development on a
  Western continuum)

9

• Barriers to be removed in traditional society, in
  5 ways
• Demonstration developing world adopts more
  advanced methods and techniques
• Fusion combination and integration of
  distinct modern methods
• Compression developing countries attempt to
  develop in less time than it took the developed
  world
• Prevention learn from errors made by
  developed world
• Adaptation adapt modern practices to the
  local environment and culture.

10

• Massive transfer of capital, ideology, technology
  worldwide Marshall Plan and Green Revolution.
• Measures of progress GNP, literacy, industrial
  base, urbanization. All quantifiable.
• Modernisation accelerated the Westernisation of
  developing countries without much regard for the
  needs of the local peoples.
• Widespread failure and discontent, especially in
  Africa.
• Increased inequality, increased tension.

11
Dependency theory

• Latin American roots.
• Development and underdevelopment seen as two
  sides of the same coin.
• Post-colonial dependence ensured by the
  reproduction of socioeconomic and political
  structures at the periphery in accordance with
  the interests of the centre of power.
• Main interest of Western monopoly capitalism is
  to prevent, slow down, or control the economic
  development of underdeveloped countries.

12

• Dos Santos 1970
• Dependence is a conditioning situation in which
  the economies of one group of countries are
  conditioned by the development and expansion of
  others. A relationship of interdependence between
  two or more economies or between such economies
  and the world trading system becomes a dependent
  relationship when some cou tries can expand
  through self-impulsion while others, being in a
  dependent position, can only expand as a
  reflection of the expansion of the dominant
  countries, which may have positive or negative
  effects on their immediate development.
• Dependency most important hindrance to
  development is not shortage of capital or
  management, but the present international system.

13

• External, not internal obstacles. Development in
  the centre determines and maintains the
  underdevelopment in the periphery. 2 poles
  structurally connected to each other.
• Peripheral countries should dissociate themselves
  from the world market and opt for self-reliant
  development strategy.
• Need a revolutionary political transformation for
  this.
• But, unlinking from the global information or
  economic system is not easy.
• Indebtedness, too weak economically.
• AU, SADC dont provide regional economic
  communities like EU.

14
Multiplicity another development

• No universal path to development.
• Development as an integral, multidimensional, and
  dialectic process which can differ from society
  to society.
• But, a multi-perspective another development
  still has core components

15

• 6 criteria
• Basic needs meet human, material and
  non-material needs
• Endogenous stemming from each society, which
  defines in sovereignty, its values and future
  vision
• Self-reliance each society relies primarily on
  its own strength and resources
• Ecology rationally utilizing resources aware
  of potential of local ecosystems as well as the
  global outer limits imposed on present and
  future
• Participatory democracy not merely government of
  the people and for the people, but also, by the
  people at all levels of society
• Structural changes in social relations, in
  economic activities and their spatial
  distribution, as well as the power structure, so
  as to realise the conditions of self management
  and participation in decision-making.