Understanding Development

Rahul De’

1
Objectives

Understand the meaning of Development

Why are there conflicting theories?

Sen’s Development theory: one answer

ICT use for achieving freedoms

The Digital Divide

2
 What is Development?
Economists and political scientists have for long understood
development as an improvement in the income (per capita
income) of a community or nation.
The nations of the world have been categorised as less
developed, developed and developing on the same basis, by
multi-lateral agencies.
A less-developed country is characterised by a daily per
capita income of less than USD 2.
Developing countries are characterised by low per capita
income, but high potential to generate incomes and low
vulnerabilities to income variations and natural disasters, Eg.
India

3
3
Development Paradigms
Dominant phases of particular development paradigms
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
Modernisation
Growth as development
Technology transfer
Transfer of ideas/values
Dependency
Core–periphery position within
world system
Breaking away
Basic needs
Focus on basic needs
High degree of state
intervention (agricultural
policies, credit, etc.)
Neo-liberalism
Beginning of retreat of the state
Focus on markets – getting prices right
Human development
Multi-dimensional – micro-credit, gender,
environment, poverty, etc.
Greater focus on participatory methods
Post-development
Idea and discourse of
development as problematic
Sustainable development
Meeting current needs without
compromising future needs;
especially environment

International development goals

Millennium
Development
Goals
Sustainable
Development
Goals

4
Adapted from: Ellis & Biggs (2001) and Heeks (2009a)
 History of Development

1950s
Build
Infrastructure
1960s
Remove
Poverty 2000s
1970s
ICTs for
Empower Women
Development
1980-90s Millenium
Sustainable Development
Goals
Development

Sustainable DGs
5
6
7
Video

A Very Brief History of Development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-nAMmR6lks

8
Sen's Theory of Development
From Development as Freedom by Amartya
Sen
Enhance political freedoms – eg. participate
in democratic process
Enhance economic freedoms – eg.
participate in markets
Enhance social freedoms – eg. education,
health
Enhance protective security – eg. insurance
Enhance transparency guarantees – eg.
information about governance

9
ICT use for Achieving Freedoms

Freedoms ICT use

Political freedom e-Government, e-Democracy
Economic freedom Price discovery, reaching out to customers,
finding jobs
Social freedom Digital learning, telemedicine
Protective security Early warning systems, financial inclusion
through digital payments
Transparency guarantees Open data, open government

10
More videos

ICT design for development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKxoojILToU

Mobile use by Kerala Fishermen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u5Du-smSgY

11
ICT4D stakeholders

Government Development
(public sector) agencies
Hubs/labs/
clusters

Partnerships ICT4D Networks

Hybrid
Private organisations NGOs
sector