The Concept of Development
Development is the process of changing and improving an area’s economic and social conditions. It includes eradicating poverty, hunger, disease, and illiteracy; providing adequate shelter and employment opportunities; and preserving the environment. It also involves enabling people to make informed choices, especially about their reproductive health.
The concept of development has been a topic for many academic and policy debates. The international agenda began to focus on it in the second half of the twentieth century, a time when it was realized that sustained economic growth alone was insufficient to lift people out of poverty. It was also important to incorporate a social dimension, in order to address the causes of poverty rather than simply its effects.
There are several different meta-theories that have been proposed to explain development. Some, such as those of Vygotsky and behaviorists, assume that learning is a continuous process that leads to the acquisition of more advanced skills throughout life. Others, such as the lifespan perspective and the contextualist perspectives that fought their way through child psychology (e.g., development ends at age 18) have a more discontinuous, qualitatively different approach, reminiscent of the caterpillar-chrysalis-butterfly model.
The field of complexity science, which is finally getting more attention from mainstream economists, offers a new perspective on the meaning of development. Complexity theory suggests that development is a multidimensional phenomenon, requiring equitability and balance in three primary interrelated areas: social, economic, and environmental. It is not just a Third World problem, but one that concerns all of humanity, and which must include responses to both over-development as well as under-development.