Choosing what constitutes development for a society is analogous to students deciding on the type of school magazine they want and how they should work on it. We could mechanically follow a model that has previously been used in our own or other countries, or we could plan with the good of society as a whole in mind, as well as the rights of those whose lives may be directly impacted by development projects. Leaders can either focus on carrying out plans regardless of protests, or they can proceed democratically, enlisting public support. In its broadest sense, development conveys the concepts of advancement, progress, well-being, and a desire for a better life.

Highlights 

• Development is related to improvement, progress, quality lifestyle, political independence and well-being
• The society upholds the ground of development in a broader sense
• Sometimes, it is referred to in the limited sense like modernising the society and increasing economic growth of a country
• Unfortunately, we identify development with achieving pre-set targets, or completing projects like dams, or factories, markets, rather than with realising the basics which the society upholds

Controversy in Study of Development

• Development becomes controversial if the rights of the common public are suppressed
• The benefits of development are equally distributed throughout the various sections of the society
• The plans and decisions being made for the development are supported by all the sections of the society
• The models of development are always been a debatable point. These are even criticised

The Challenge of Development

• The concept of development gained its importance in the late 20th century. Countries were given the tag of underdeveloped or developing  in their comparison with the richer countries of the world

In the 1950s and 1960s

1. Political independence: Many countries of Asia and Africa got independence from colonial rule.
2. Reason for their backwardness: The resources of the enslaved countries were not used for their benefits instead their master colonial used them for their welfare.
3. Urgent task: Some very essential issues were to be solved like unemployment, malnutrition, and poverty.
4. Method to Achieve Development: With Independence, new nations could reorganise their resources and formulate policies to overcome their backwardness and move towards achieving the standards of their former colonial masters. 

Concept of Development is Dynamic

• In the beginning, the focus was centred on adopting the western culture, modernization of the society through industrialization, modern education, and faster economic growth
• Different countries believe in the different concepts of development. Many have started projects like power plants, construction of supermarkets, factories, etc. Even for this, they get into debt

Democratic participation of development

The difference between democracy and dictatorship is that in a democracy, conflicts over resources or different visions of the good life are resolved through debate and a respect for all people’s rights, which cannot be imposed from on high. As a result, if everyone in a society has a common interest in achieving a better life, then everyone must be involved in developing development plans and devising ways to put them into action. There is a distinction between following someone else’s plan and participating in the creation of the plans. To begin with, even if others make plans with the best of intentions, they are likely to be less aware of your specific needs than you are. Second, being an active participant in decision-making 

Development and lifestyle 

A different development model would also try to move away from the high-cost, environmentally wasteful, technology-driven development model. Development should not be measured solely by the number of cell phones in the country, the sophistication of weapons developed, or the size of the cars that people drive, but by the quality of life that people enjoy in terms of happiness, harmony, and basic needs satisfaction. On one level, efforts should be made to conserve natural resources and, whenever possible, use renewable energy sources. Rainwater harvesting, solar and bio-gas plants, micro-hydel projects, and compost pits to generate manure from organic waste are all examples of such efforts.

In India

1. The Indian government has been constantly making Five-Year Plans for development since the 1950s. These plans included many big budget projects like  Bhakra Nangal Dam, establishment of steel plants, power projects, etc.
2. According to the  multi-pronged strategy, these plans would have an impact on the economy and inequality in society. 
3. The government was also hopeful that the emerging prosperity would be helpful to reduce inequality.
4. New educational institutions like the IIT were set up and in collaboration with advanced countries in order to have access to their knowledge became a top priority. 
5. It was thought  that the process of development would bring modernization to  the society. However, it has created obstacles to our natural lifestyle in many ways.

Conclusion

The desire for a better life is referred to as development. This is a very strong desire, and the hope of improvement is a powerful motivator for human action. In this chapter, we’ve seen how widely held beliefs about what constitutes progress have been called into question. There is a multifaceted search for a more equitable, sustainable, and democratic development model. A number of political theory concepts, such as equality, democracy, and rights, have been reinterpreted as a result of this process. The issues that have arisen as a result of pursuing the goal of development reveal that the decisions we make have an impact on others — other humans and other species in the world. Because our fates are intertwined, we must see ourselves as part of a larger universe. Furthermore, my actions not only have an impact on others, but they also have an impact on my own future prospects. As a result, we must choose carefully, bearing in mind not only our immediate needs but also our long-term interests.