مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - A Critique of Dominant Development Tendency in the Context of Neoliberal Policies

Abstract :

This study is to explain why the dominant concept of development should be rejected by examining their feasibility and applicability at national and international scale. Development was regarded as a pure economic concept and its social dimensions were ignored. Hence, insufficient evaluations were made by International Organizations, such as the World Bank and the IMF through economic criteria. Formerly, economic growth and development have been used as concepts equivalent to each other even if there is no positive correlation between them. Failure of development attempts were seen as a failure of government, and neoliberal policies that have been always influential on this issue were not questioned enough. Therefore, an economic system analysis will also be included with general criticism. The problem of poverty and the fact that there are still a lot of people who died in hunger confirms the inadequacy of development concept and the necessity of rejecting this notion. Correspondingly, instead of the narrow view that limits human needs to nutrition, shelter and clothing, the capability approach of Amartya Sen will be examined in the article.