Development

Development is a concept referring to change moving toward a condition considered better than before. The term is used in economics, society, technology, and individual contexts. General usage comprises two components: description (what has actually changed) and evaluation (why that change is considered good).

Because of the evaluative component, the meaning of development is not universally agreed upon. Different groups use the same term with different aims: increasing production, expanding rights, protecting the environment, or strengthening culture. For this reason, any analysis of development must specify which measure is being applied.

Origins of the concept

The idea of development is historical. Eighteenth and nineteenth-century European philosophy presented a view of history as following a steady course in which knowledge and social systems continuously improve. This view was opposed by thinkers who argued that change is cyclical or lacks a clear forward direction.

Economic and social development

The twentieth century saw widespread adoption of quantitative measures to assess national development, such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Debate over this measure led to the creation of additional indicators including health, education, and living standards. International organizations now use combined indicators to show that economic growth alone does not explain the condition of populations.

Criticism

The most common criticism holds that projects labeled as development sometimes destroy earlier ways of life or benefit a small group. Likewise, climate change and resource depletion have raised questions about whether production growth can continue. Some analysts propose measuring development according to sustainability and equity rather than growth rates alone.