What is development?
By Eddie Hibbert-Hingston

You will probably have heard the word “Development” at some point; in the news, on TV, in charity appeals, or at least in a year 9 Geography lesson about Addis Ababa. Soul Action talks about Development, and many charities and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) hold Development as an aim, but if you’re anything like me, you will also have wondered sooner or later “what is this Development thing anyway?” if you’re not interested, go have a look at something else, but if you’re plagued by this question, read on…
 
Beware; this is not a definitive guide, it is merely a few things I have discovered along the way; I hope they help.
 
What is development?
Sadly there is no clear answer, no black and white, one word definition. Development is a very wide subject, upon which many different views are held, and of which there are many forms. However, for our purposes it can broadly be described as:

“An ongoing process of change for the better; continual improvement”

Now, I know this seems a very obvious explanation, and that anything that is developing can be described in this way, but its a pretty good description of the Development I’m talking about.
 
In that case, practically, development means working to improve standards of living for people whose quality of life is poor. More about how this is done later. Before I get started, it’s really important to understand the difference between unintentional Development and intentional Development. Unintentional Development is the natural process of improvement which will occur in any individual, community or nation. History is unintentional Development, a record of how things change over time. Intentional Development is a bit different, implying a deliberate effort to effect predicted and directional changes. This could include the creation of a state-run and funded health service, or education system. All this basically means that unintentional Development happens on it’s own, but Intentional Development is engineered and planned by people.
 
Three types of development?
These are a good place to start when looking at the subject. These are personal, local and national development. All work along the same principal, that of improving quality of life, but are on different scales. Here they are described in terms of their intentions in an under developed, poorer nation, but can be applied to any country, society or economy. It is worth remembering that these are the aims, and are not always achieved. All of the examples on a personal and local level are things undertaken by charities such as Tearfund, Oxfam and now Soul Action. The difference with Christian organisations is that they try to address spiritual poverty as well as physical, social, material, financial and emotional poverty.
 
Personal development focuses on the individual, and involves improvement of living conditions, sanitation, food, education, employment, empowerment to take control of one’s life and future, reducing the insecurities in an individual’s situation.
 
Local development is all of these things and a bit more. Perhaps a fresh water supply to the community in the form of a well or reservoir, programmes to increase literacy, employment, average income, life expectancy etc. A obvious example might be a project aiming to improve general health would maybe set up a health clinic or training programme.

National development involves all of the above, but goes further, to increase Gross National Product (amount of wealth generated) and Gross Domestic Product (measurement of economy). All nations look to develop their economies aiming to see stronger, more stable and productive sectors, alongside an increase in international trade and improvement in international relations.
 
From the global to the personal
It seems so far that all of these are good things, improving quality of life; the big changes affecting the communities and individuals, and individuals and communities effecting big changes.

However, not everybody sees development as a good thing.
 
For example, during the 1980’s a particular form or method of international development became the big key idea. A specific form of capitalism (a way of organising the economy via self regulating markets) ushered in a new era of social organisation. It was the ‘individual’ and ‘freedom’ as opposed to society and community that were the key ideas. In the UK Margaret Thatcher gradually weakened the states role in providing ‘welfare’ services, instead looking to individual entrepreneurs to lead the economy into a new era of prosperity… in a sense freeing the market from state led predictions and regulations. Gradually the state was ‘squeezed’ seeing it’s services and influence privatised, or sold to separate companies. In the developing world, this neo liberalism was endorsed and pushed upon governments as part of loan or relief agreements. Loans and assistance from the west became conditional on developing countries restructuring their economies and promoting the neo liberal agenda – which as it turned out was an agenda that aimed to ideologically destabilise the evil foe of communism as much as it aimed to promote better living conditions!

In response the Post development school argued that development was never a good thing, and that it has ultimately failed in its task to improve life for those in poverty. Many post Development thinkers see development as simply neo-colonialism, a new manifestation of the imperialism that bred slavery, segregation and often extreme poverty. They consider Development to have been pursued in poorer countries by western nations to a level which presents opportunities for them to dominate, and increase their gain at the expense of the newly Developed countries, rendering them worse off than before. It was like Robin Hood gone horribly wrong, Development robbing the poor to feed the rich.

Luckily things have changed. The current world picture sees development practise as largely Interventionist. Certain interventions, or projects/programmes are conducted by governments or NGO’s, promoting development in the personal and local senses alongside a focus on the national economy too. In a sense these interventions pick up what the economy misses: the local communities and individuals who are on the edge of the system. We now see governments ‘facilitating’ the market, creating the conditions and welfare interventions that help it function appropriately through the provision of things like a health service, education, policing and the like.

From the personal to the global
Now, don’t fall into thinking that it all comes from the top. As mentioned earlier, just as the big changes affect the individuals and communities, so the individuals can effect great change, but it starts with you. That is why Soul action, as well as lobbying Governments, also comes alongside people already working in their own communities. Titch and Joan Smith are working to feed AIDS orphans in the townships of Durban are a prime example of development at work; we are helping however we can. That is the heart of Soul Action, to see Development being done by individuals for individuals, by communities for communities, that’s what we’re about.

In an obvious sense, this personal level can achieve great things… but without a focus on national development certain issues will always remain. For example, a project in 1980’s Durban too feed and educate the black populations of the cities townships would have been a worthy initiative, but without challenging the cruel and racist system of apartheid, it’s likely many of these individuals would remain in a life of poverty. Removing the unjust structures that perpetuate poverty and injustice are as much a task for development as loving and serving the individuals who are affected by them.
 
So there it is, a short explanation of Development and what it means. Look into it more, renew your mind, ask God to give you a passion for His work and His values, and develop yourself!

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