Development 101

A Brief History

Although the word “development” fits multiple definitions, understanding the delineation identified by Dusty Feet is critical. In this document, development will be known as the process of social and economic advancement, as it relates to the quality of human life.

Development can be traced back hundreds of years with a notable increase of progress throughout the civil war years. Development as it relates to the model designed by Dusty Feet began with the Franklin D. Roosevelt presidential term. Roosevelt delivered an address to congress entitled, “The four freedoms.” In his message, Roosevelt said, “The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.” Following World War II, decolonization and post-war reconstruction helped bring these new ideas of development into light. Wealthier nations were called on to help “develop” poorer nations.

The advancement of post-war development lead to differing schools of thought, which have been placed in two factions. The first group is “liberal” or “aid oriented.” The second group is “libertarian” or “free market.” Liberal, or “aid oriented” logic recognizes a careful set of economic policies and regulation. Libertarian or “free market” thinking follows the ideology of laissez faire or economic ideology, which advocates minimal state intervention in the economy.

Although these concepts relate to large institutions, it is important to understand the progression of development in order to recognize the mindset of the grass-roots movement. Recently, a trend has emerged where development has advanced by using theory found within both groups, liberal and libertarian. This trend is most commonly associated with Amartya Kumar Sen, an Indian economist and philosopher. In 1998 Sen won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998, "for his contributions to welfare economics."

Amartya Sen influenced governments and international organizations with methodology for handling food crises. Sen’s ideals encouraged policy makers to not only focus on alleviating immediate distress, but to also to create methods, which would replace the lost income of the impoverished. He suggested intervention through public-works projects. He also focuses on the necessity of stable food prices. A dynamic advocate for political freedom, Sen believed that “famines do not occur in functioning democracies because their leaders must be more responsive to the demands of the citizens.” In order for economic growth to be achieved, he argued, social reforms, such as improvements in education and public health, must precede economic reform.

Although each organization adds its own factor to help facilitate development, the ideas, which helped form the factor, began decades prior. It is important for any individual interested in making a change to understand the progression of development. This piece is extremely short and generalized, but it allows one to understand the background reasoning for the Dusty Feet model.

The model we use follows the Amartya Sen influence. We are focused on creating a sustainable program, stimulated by the economy of the community where the program is located. This cannot take place without meshing the liberal and libertarian theories. In order for Dusty Feet to encourage economic growth we must fight for reforms and meet the social of needs of the community. Once this takes place we will be better situated to help achieve the sustainable model. Dusty Feet is taking this model one step further by creating means for the economy to grow based on resources found from within. Instead of fully relying on government officials and international organizations, the community will create the system on which they will rely.

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