Development has been amongst the most discussed themes during the last six decades. Since the 1960s, however, the Third World has been articulating is disenchantment with the reigning theory and practice of development. This has caused considerable re-thinking on the subject, and as a result of churning of minds the outlines of a new approach to development are beginning to emerge in clear relief. Some of the elements of new approach in respect of which there is a growing consensus are presented here in capsules summaries.
In the development debate of the last four decades, there has been a tendency to over value excessive economic growth. Excessive indulgence in growthmanship without concern for social consequences has proved to be an exercise in futility which creates more problems than it solves. Nonetheless it is an essential condition of the new type of development that is envisaged and its importance should not be under-rated. There should be a tilt towards equity and social justice, even if this slows the rate of growth slightly.
The pursuit of justice goals will, however, be a failure if it is not sustained by economic growth. It is of paramount importance to the Third World that a search for alternative paths of development is undertaken in all seriousness. The new designs of living will have to be endogenous and non-emulative. Mindless copying of developed industrial countries in the present context is neither possible nor desirable. The pattern of development must take into account the means available within the developing societies and should not depend excessively on external aid and loans. With relative self-reliance as the ideal of development, the developing countries should first attend to the basic needs of the people and then move into improving their quality of life. The ethos of the new development should not be permeated by excessive personal consumption; rather it should have a service orientation.
A new awareness of environment needs to be-diffused globally. The erroneous notion in some quarters that pollution and other environmental hazards relate only to highly industrialised countries must be dispelled as quickly as possible. Resources should be cautiously exploited, conservation efforts must become an aim and continuous efforts should be made to enrich the environment.
In the early stages of development dialogue, the population card was perhaps over-played, but growing numbers still constitute a matter of grave concern. It has been demonstrated convincingly that the threat of famine and starvation can be averted, but this should not lull populous countries of the Third World into a false sense of security. Efforts at population control must continue. Attention should not be focused only on the quantitative aspects of population; the qualitative dimension should also be handled imaginatively and sensitively.
This must come from improved agricultural technology and agronomic practices in the developing countries. Massive financial outlays will have to be made to provide irrigation facilities, fertilisers, improved seeds and other essential inputs. The problem, however, cannot be solved by raising agricultural productivity only; many millions are undernourished to-day not because of non-availability of food, but because of their financial inability to buy it. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the capacity of the world's poor to meet their essential needs. Imaginative plans are needed for areas prone to drought and famine.
The energy crisis is often wrongly related to the hike in oil prices; the problem is more serious. Non-renewable resources have to be conserved and used in cost efficient manner. Even with new discoveries, the available resources of energy, will not last for ever; alternative sources have to be found. The production of biogas and the planting of new forests for fuel-wood must receive priority.
Poverty is the pivot on which most contemporary problems rest. Many problems such as those of population, food insecurity, illiteracy and public health will solve themselves if poverty is eradicated. The scale of poverty is such that it cannot be handled by state welfarism alone. Antipoverty programmes must aim at raising the productivity of the poor.
Population is the potential wealth of poor countries. Human resources have to be mobilised and trained competence in different areas has to be developed. This can be done through certain basic investments in human capital formation including allowing the masses greater access to decision making especially in respect of planning and plan implementation and education and communication.
Many problems of the contemporary world can be attributed to the rot that has set in the institutional framework of society. Institutional erosion will have to be stopped; renovation should be undertaken where possible and innovation where necessary. Without weakening the state system, the political system will have to be renovated so that it reflects and attends to the needs and aspirations of the people. It should also have built in self correctives so that non-performers do not endure only on the basis of worthless slogans and empty promises. At the same time functional specific associational groups will have to be developed in different areas of life.
The bureaucratic framework needs to be streamlined and tuned to the new development objectives. What is needed is clean, efficient and trustworthy administration. The civil servants should have developed planning capability, an efficient delivery system, a critical faculty of self evaluation and a forward looking orientation i.e. a capacity to relate contemporary trends to emerging ethos and institutional framework.
Trained competence needs to be developed in the areas of project formulation and project implementation. Bureaucracy in the final analysis, however, is only a satellite system, in many ways it reflects the quality of leadership under which is working.
In regard to certain economic fundamentals facilitating sustained growth in a stable milieu, there is now widespread agreement. These include maintaining economic stability by limiting fiscal and ternal account deficits to sustainable levels, keeping inflation low; concentrating public investment in education or primary and secondary schools; establishing appropriate agricultural policies-providing adequate incentives to farmers; building safe and secure financial system; keeping relative prices more or less in line with international prices; keeping the economy open to foreign investment and technology; and eliminating barriers to competition.
The case for a new international economic order has been well argued but many snags have prevented the commencement of a meaningful dialogue on the subject. The frame of reference and the sponsorship of such negotiations remain to be settled. Self-reliance can at best be relative; humankind must reconcile itself to the idea of an inter-dependent world. Every initiative in this direction must be welcomed and patiently pursued. The primary need is to end the pattern of dependency that persists to the disadvantage and detriment of the Third world.
The developed countries have to understand that the development of the Third world will not harm their own interests. The transfer of resources on a large enough scale, therefore will not be charity but a big step towards co-existence and harmonious relations leading to the all round furthering of national interests on a just basis. The voice of the Third world, however, will not be heard so long it remains divided and the developing countries remain vulnerable to manipulation by great powers; Bridges have to be built all across the Third World so that its vulnerability is reduced and its opinions are taken seriously.
The contemporary world moving from one crisis to another needs careful watching. Our antennas have to be so trained that they anticipate coming crises. Problem solving capacities should be strengthened to meet the challenges of the future.
The developing countries cannot ignore science and technology. They have to make every possible effort to fill the scientific and technological gap between them and the developed world as soon as possible. They must have the best of science, but technology will have to be geared to their specific contexts and needs. The right mix of high, medium and low technology will have to be found. Since many problems are beyond technological solutions, we must simultaneously explore the human dimensions and its intangibles and imponderables through social sciences and behavioural research. Insights from the latter can sharpen man's capability to deal with the complex problems of change.
The outlook for the future will not be as uncertain as it is to-day if simultaneous actions are initiated and carried out along many fronts that call for urgent attention, but they require the necessary will, dedication and discipline. This is a major challenge to man's creative rationality.