Theories of Development. Contentions, Arguments, Alternatives

Abstract

[...]without going deeply into the stages of the concept of development in the ancient thinking, considering it appeared only in the 18th century, and using only partially the works belonging to eastern-European and Asian thinking, the authors succeed to contour a unitary assembly for the analysed periods and spaces. [...]the open attitude and the limitation to the emergence of the paradigm in the occidental space facilitates the continuous discovery of the feelings of joy in reading the book with the purpose to understand the history of the concept of development, being stimulated by the critical perspective. The last part, although includes a single chapter, reveals the method used along and which gives the title of this component: critical modernism. [...]if until now it is possible to lose sight of the used method, the authors remind it (see chapter 1) and also detail it, in order to understand the desire of critics and change of the perspective of the concept of development, the one which is considered to be, besides democracy, misused and even misunderstood.

Theories of Development. Contentions, Arguments, Alternatives. Richard Peet and Elaine Hartwick. New York: Guilford Press, 2009, xii and 324 pp, ISBN 978-1-60623-065-7 (pbk).

In a world in which political decisions seem more and more to be the result of some schools of scientific thinking, the authors R. Peet and E. Hartwick propose, in "Theories of Development", to critically reflect upon the scientific theories of development. This demarche must be regarded in the historical, conceptual and partially spatially determined evolution of the respective theories, which tone the strong transformations during the last 20 years. Starting from the first edition, written in 1999, and based on the frame offered by Global Capitalism (1991), R. Peet critically presents the evolution of the development paradigm, being helped in the seventh chapter by E. Hartwick. The result is a new book which keeps only traces of the previous ones. The book is a history of development and understanding the different branches which the concept gained starting from the Illuminist stage of science development until present. The summing up of the development theories specific to occidental thinking represents the reason why each research which regards the implementing of decisions of economic improvement and restructuring must have in view this book.

Although we are warned since the beginning (pages 3-4) upon the complex, contradictory and disputable understanding, even at the level of the best aspirations of humans and mankind, the authors assume a risky position along the more than 300 pages of presentation and critics of the theory. They try to be impar-tial in the critical presentation of most of the theories, but they hit against what they under-lined in the beginning: development is "subject of the most intense manipulations" (page 4). Thus, it can be noticed a much accentuated critics of certain theories, especially of those neo-liberal and the partisan position towards others. Moreover, on the trajectory of the book, the idea of the necessity of a best alternative is more and more argumentatively inserted (out of all the worst - an underlining omitted or un-evaluated from most of the studies) - democracy (Aristotel, 2001). In the authors' opinion, "democracy, emancipation, development and progress are good principles of modernity [...] corrupted by the social form taken by modernity - capitalism" (page 280). But without going deeply into the stages of the concept of development in the ancient thinking, considering it appeared only in the 18th century, and using only partially the works belonging to eastern-European and Asian thinking, the authors succeed to contour a unitary assembly for the analysed periods and spaces. Therefore, the open attitude and the limitation to the emergence of the paradigm in the occidental space facilitates the continuous discovery of the feelings of joy in reading the book with the purpose to understand the history of the concept of development, being stimulated by the critical perspective. As these elements can be noticed even since the beginning, from the introduction and preface, the book's reading allows to use the text as a basis for critical analyses of detail, as a reflexive support of development and through them, we should be able to learn some of the techniques of modern critics.

The structure of the book regards 3 large parts, reflecting the frame of critics of the theories of development presented in the 7 corresponding chapters, plus the introductory chapter. Each of these has got well integrated sub-chapters. Organised in this manner, the book also offers an excellent orientation side, each structure being followed from the evolution point of view and allowing the reflection upon the more difficult parts which the authors anticipate, too. The authors encourage "reading and re-reading, reflexion and communication until you understand them" (page 19).

Chapter 1 is dedicated to contending the main thesis of the present book. Development must not be bent to the interests of moment given by the subjective scientific approach of those who hold power (persons, groups of interests, international bodies etc). This must be critically approached by each person, only together being able to reach the goal mentioned by the authors: "a better life for all of us" (page 1).

Conventional theories represent the group of four chapters which form the first part of the book. Along the 3 chapters concentrated on classical and ne-classical theories, on the evolution of thinking starting with the Keynesian approach and up to neo-liberal approach, on the approach of development in terms of the modernisation phenomenon, the main theoretical marks are found. These are toned by the determinations which influenced them and which led to their present evolution, as an essential support of political decisions.

The second part moves the attention towards non-conventional theories of development. It is developed around the presentation of the Marxist and socialist theories, being the only one which is followed by the description of the exhibition space. Besides these, chapters 6 and 7 treat development, continuing a challenging approach in which presentation is followed by the detailed critics of their main objectors, and then the authors present their own opinion regarding the approached problems.

The last part, although includes a single chapter, reveals the method used along and which gives the title of this component: critical modernism. Thus, if until now it is possible to lose sight of the used method, the authors remind it (see chapter 1) and also detail it, in order to understand the desire of critics and change of the perspective of the concept of development, the one which is considered to be, besides democracy, misused and even misunderstood.

Starting from the geographic background of the authors, a spatial integration at graphic level of some of the elements presented would have been preferred. In the present text, they would have been really useful for simplifying the understanding and the reception of the material. The visual help would have been excellent in the conditions in which the book is already at the second edition. Also, the reading pleasure would have been higher in the conditions of providing more dense information regarding the development of the Asian space, where ideas like those of Muhammad Yunus allow a new orientation of development, either in countries from the inferior part of development - Bangladesh, or in those countries which regard the first position - China. This is only an example, possibly sensitive, in a world lacking trust in people.

The stages of extraordinary development recorded by some of the Asian countries on the basis of the own conceptual visions besides the adapting of western ones should claim more attention. The text would be this way complete, and the possibility of comparison would not be kept under the Occident's umbrella, a promoter of a democracy anyhow misunderstood.

The book does not address a certain discipline/ subject. This can be read equally by those who are at the beginning of their research, by those who want a better understanding of the world we live in, or by the researchers interested in the global catching of new perspectives highlighted by critical Geography. Thus, the reading of "Theories of Development" becomes essential for anyone who wants to contribute to the improvement of life by the understanding of development and this way its good applying, one of the most widely used concepts, no matter the referential level.

In the end, I want to add that this book can be remembered by listening to the songs Handlebars and Rise of the Flobots.

References

References

Aristotel (2001), Politics, Paideia Publishing House, Bucharest.

Flobots (2008), "Handlebars", Fight with Tools, Universal.

Flobots (2008), "Rise", Fight with Tools, Universal.