The document summarizes the major concepts and theories in post-war international development over seven decades from the 1950s to present. It outlines six eras: modernity in the 1950s focused on growth models; critique in the 1960s as dependency theory emerged; hope in the 1970s; disillusionment with structural adjustment in the late 1970s-1980s; a new dawn in the post-1989 period; and an ongoing beginning from 2000 onward with new actors like BRICS countries and philanthropists playing larger roles. The document analyzes the ideas and realities of different development approaches over time from Rostow to NGOization to show how development theory and practice has evolved and become more complex.

1. Seven decades of development?
A short introduction to some of the big
concepts of post-war development theory
Tobias Denskus
ComDev-ECLA Berlin seminar,
8 & 9 November 2013

2. Overview of the presentation
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Modernity
Critique
Hope
Disillusionment
New Dawn
Beginning (?)
– post-WWII-1950s
– 1960s-early 1970s
– 1970s
– late 1970s-mid 1980s
– post-1989-late 1990s
– 2000-now

3. The belief in development
‘As a buzzword, (development) has been used time
and again to promote a system that is neither
viable, nor sustainable, nor fit to live in. (…).
The question therefore remains: given the amount
of information that scientists have gathered on the
manifold natural (actually human-made) hazards
that may impinge on our daily lives, why is it that we
do not believe in what we know to be certain?
The answer, probably, lies in the fact that our belief
in ‘development’ is still too strong to be undermined
by scientific certainty’.
(Rist in Cornwall, pp.24-25)

4. The complexities of shooting the
development messenger
Development reflects dominant discourses of
each era
• Development is intertwined with social,
political, historical & cultural debates
• Development’s ‘failures’ and ‘successes’
often happen as a continuum rather than a
dichotomy:
• Foresight & hindsight
• Stability & change
• Power & knowledge
• Leadership & bureaucracy
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5. Growth, bipolarity, containment & …growth
– Rostow’s stage model

6. Looks easy on paper –
Post-war approaches to liberal modernization

7. States, global capitalism & the re-imagination
of center-periphery relations
– Latin America & dependency theory

8. New Right ideas on state, market & economy
– Structural adjustment

9. Structural adjustment: Reality vs. ideology
Policies
Official aims
Actual experience
Currency
devaluation
Increase exports
and reduce
imports
Little evidence of increased export
earnings; commodity prices fell more
with increased competition from
exporters
Export
promotion
Earn foreign
exchange for
debt repayment
Export crops replaced food crops;
ecological damage; rural
displacements; earnings for debt, not
investment
Government
spending cuts
Reduce
excessive
demand
Cuts in education, health & service
budgets
Privatization
Enterprises
becoming more
efficient
Reduced employment; long-term
service quality & accessibility
Unrestricted
imports
Improve
efficiency &
competitiveness
Drainage of foreign exchange;
undermining of local economy

10. The end of history…and conflict, ideology &
underdevelopment
- Post-1989 expectations
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Success of liberal capitalism and ‘the free market’
Trust in multipolar global governance
Expectations of inclusive civic engagement through
global civil society & new social movements
• Peaceful conflict
resolution through UN &
regional organisations

11. Putting industry (back) into development
industry
- The ‘–isation’ years
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NGO-isation
Depolit-isation
Professional-isation
Corporat-isation
Academ-isation

12. BRICS & the future of development
– New actors, countries & alliances
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The emergence of Brazil, India, China & South
Africa
Philanthrocapitalism and –capitalists
(Bill G., Bill C., Bono)
New corporate engagement – large & small
Merging of aid, trade & foreign policy
(e.g. Canada & Australia)

13. Conclusion II
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Modernity
Critique
Hope
Disillusionment
New Dawn
Beginning (?)
– post-WWII-1950s
– 1960s-early 1970s
– 1970s
– late 1970s-mid 1980s
– post-1989-late 1990s
– 2000-now

14. Email
tobias@aidnography.de
Blog
http://www.aidnography.de
Twitter
@aidnography