What Is Development?

2586 Words11 Pages
This essay is aimed at defining development as defined by various scholars, looking particularly at Dudley Seers definition. It will further go on to establish whether Zambia is developing according to Dudley Seers or not. One of the problems with giving a single definition for development is that there isn’t a shortage of definitions to choose from. If one view unites all of the development literature, it’s the acknowledgement that there is no consensus over what development really means. Development has different meanings for different individuals, communities and nations. (Schuurman 2009; Singhe 2009) Todaro (2008), defines development “as a multidimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions, as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality, and the eradication of absolute poverty. Development, in its essence, must represent the whole gamut of change by which an entire social system, tuned to the diverse basic needs and desires of individuals and social groups within that system, moves away from a condition of life widely perceived as unsatisfactory and toward a situation or condition of life regarded as materially and spiritually 'better'.” Todaro believes there are three core values of development and these core values are life-sustenance, self-esteem and freedom to choose. According Sapru (2002), development is defined as a process of improving the well being of the people. It is about raising the standard of living of the people, improving their education and health, and also exposing people to equal opportunities for a more valued life. Chigunta (2008) observes development to “refer to the improvements in the way a country’s natural resources and human resources are managed in order to create wealth and improve people’s lives socially, economically and
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