Political Development

Name: Andrew Atef Salama Mahfouz.

Code: 5210158.

Presented to dr. Reem Achraf, dr. Mostafa Kamel.

Subject: article summary

 A Journey Through Development: From "Catching Up" to Sustainable
Futures
The story of development since the mid-20th century is a fascinating
narrative of shifting ideologies, competing visions, and continuous
adaptation.

This article embarks on a journey through this dynamic landscape, exploring

the evolution from early "catching up" models to the contemporary ideal of
sustainable development. Along the way, we'll encounter the invaluable
contributions of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in critiquing
dominant approaches and championing alternative perspectives. Finally,
we'll re ect on the adequacy of current frameworks in a globalized world and
ponder potential pathways for the future of development thinking, action,
and research.

From Growth Mania to Holistic Visions: The Early Decades

The immediate aftermath of World War II saw a surge of optimism and a
strong belief in progress. The newly independent nations, eager to bridge the
gap with developed economies, embraced models like Walt Rostow's
"Stages of Growth" and Paul Rosenstein-Rodan's "Big Push," prioritizing
rapid industrialization and economic expansion. However, cracks soon
began to appear in this seemingly awless facade. Critics like Dudley Seers,
along with the burgeoning IDS, raised concerns about the narrow focus on
economic growth, highlighting its neglect of broader social issues like
poverty, inequality, and unemployment. This marked a turning point, urging a
shift towards more comprehensive development perspectives that
considered not just economic indicators but also human well-being and
social justice.
Paradigm Shifts and The Quest for Sustainability:
The subsequent decades witnessed a dynamic interplay of diverse
paradigms vying for dominance. The "basic needs" approach emerged,
emphasizing the ful llment of essential human needs like food, shelter, and
healthcare as the cornerstone of development. Structuralism, with its focus
on power imbalances and unequal exchange between developed and
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 developing nations, o ered a critical lens to analyze global economic
structures. Neoliberalism, advocating for market liberalization and minimal
state intervention, gained traction, sparking debates about its e cacy in
achieving development goals. Throughout these shifts, the growing specter
of environmental degradation underscored the need for sustainable
development, prompting a paradigm that integrated environmental concerns
into the development discourse.

The Voice of Critique and Alternatives: The Role of IDS

The IDS has played a pivotal role in this ongoing narrative, consistently
challenging dominant narratives and advocating for alternative development
pathways. It has critiqued structural adjustment programs imposed by
international nancial institutions, arguing for their detrimental impact on
developing economies. IDS has championed progressive approaches that
prioritize good governance, equitable taxation systems, and inclusive
economic organization, emphasizing the role of small producers and global
value chains. Notably, it has placed environmental sustainability at the
forefront of development discourse, advocating for alternative approaches
that move beyond traditional models of exploitation.

From MDGs to SDGs: Re ning the Development Agenda

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), launched in 2000, marked a
signi cant step towards a more comprehensive development framework.
However, limitations like their focus on poverty reduction and economic
growth, and their perceived Western-centric approach, led to calls for further
evolution. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015,
aimed to address these shortcomings by encompassing a wider range of
goals, fostering greater participation from developing countries, and
integrating environmental sustainability into the core agenda. While concerns
exist about the complexity of the SDGs, they represent a signi cant step
towards a more inclusive and universally applicable development framework.

Towards a Universal Approach: Tackling Inequality and Building

Wellbeing
The article argues for a universal approach to development that transcends
geographical boundaries and recognizes the interconnectedness of our
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 world. This approach must address resource sustainability, ensuring
equitable access to resources and responsible consumption patterns.
Tackling intersecting inequalities, such as those based on gender, class, and
ethnicity, is crucial for achieving genuine development. Investing in human
development, focusing on capabilities, choices, and well-being, becomes
essential in this endeavor. Human rights and development are recognized as
mutually reinforcing, demanding both international legitimacy and national
action to ensure their realization.

The Road Ahead: Collaboration, Multidisciplinarity, and Collective

Action
As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, the need for a more
holistic and inclusive approach to development becomes increasingly
evident. Collaboration between diverse stakeholders, including governments,
civil society organizations, and the private sector, is crucial to address
shared challenges like pandemics, climate change, and migration.
Embracing multidisciplinary perspectives that integrate knowledge from
various elds like economics, sociology, and ecology is essential for crafting
e ective solutions. Finally, collective action at the global level, through
stronger international governance and fairer international regimes, is
necessary to tackle challenges that transcend national borders and ensure a
just and sustainable future for all.
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