The invention of development

After the Second World War, the world went through big changes in how countries worked
together. Europe was in ruins, and two new powerful countries, the United States and the
Soviet Union, became important. These new powers didn't care about protecting colonies
owned by European countries, so many colonies started to become independent.
The League of Nations, which was the international organization before the United Nations,
was replaced by the United Nations. The new headquarters were in New York instead of
Geneva. At this time, a new Universal Declaration of Human Rights was made to say that
everyone is equal. This was in response to the terrible things done by the Nazis during the war.
At first, the main focus was on rebuilding Europe because it was badly damaged. The Marshall
Plan was started in 1947 to help Europe's economy and give American businesses new markets.
They gave a lot of money, over $12 billion, to help Western European countries rebuild.
The tensions of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union led to the
creation of NATO. NATO was a group of countries working together to protect Western Europe
from the Soviet Union. On the other side, the Soviet Union had its own group called the
Warsaw Pact.
During this time, the powerful countries were mostly concerned with what was happening in
Europe, so the challenges faced by countries in the Global South didn't get as much attention. It
was during this time that the idea of development was created. Development meant finding
ways to help the countries in the Global South improve and grow. This was important because
there was a big difference in the opportunities and resources between the North and the South,
and development aimed to make things more fair and equal

President Truman’s Point Four declaration

President Truman made an important speech in 1949 that had a big impact. It was the first time
a US president's inauguration was shown on TV. In his speech, Truman talked about four
important things.
First, he promised that the United States would support the United Nations, which was a new
organization focused on working together with other countries.

Second, Truman said that they would continue helping Europe rebuild after the war with the
Marshall Plan. This plan provided money to help European countries recover and make their
economies stronger.
Third, Truman recognized the danger posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He
suggested creating a defense organization called NATO, where the United States and Western
European countries would team up to protect themselves.
The most significant point Truman made was about helping underdeveloped areas. He talked
about how many people in the world were living in terrible conditions, with not enough food,
diseases, and poor economies. Truman believed that humanity had the knowledge and skills to
make their lives better.
He didn't want to exploit these areas for profit like in the past. Instead, he wanted to focus on
development based on fairness and democracy. Truman wanted to use resources like science
and technology, and involve people like business owners, farmers, and workers to help these
underdeveloped regions.
Truman's speech was important because it introduced a new way of thinking about how
countries should work together. It emphasized cooperation and fairness, and aimed to improve
the lives of people in underdeveloped areas. This was a step towards a more equal and
inclusive world.

A new worldview: ‘Underdevelopment’

During President Truman's Point Four declaration, a new term, "underdeveloped," was used for
the first time to describe economically backward areas. This term changed the way people
thought about development. It added a connection between "development" and
"underdevelopment."
Before this, "development" was used to talk about socioeconomics. But when
"underdevelopment" was introduced, it gave "development" a new meaning. It started to
represent an action done by one thing to another, while "underdevelopment" was seen as
something that naturally happened without a clear reason.
This change in words had a big impact on how people saw the world. Instead of thinking about
North-South relations as colonizers and the colonized, the new idea of "developed" and
"underdeveloped" suggested something different. Every country was considered equal, and
"developed" and "underdeveloped" countries were seen as part of the same group. The
underdeveloped nations were seen as behind but with the potential to catch up.
The difference between "development" and "underdevelopment" brought up the idea of
continuity. "Underdevelopment" wasn't seen as the opposite of "development," but rather as
an incomplete or early stage of it. To close the gap, there was a need for faster growth and
progress.
Each country's development was thought of as something that mostly happened from within.
But sometimes, outside help could be given. "Underdevelopment" was seen as a natural and
incomplete phase of development, like an embryo in biological terms
The problem with this new way of thinking about underdevelopment is that it ignores history
and the reasons why some countries are more developed than others. It treats the rules of
development as the same for everyone, without considering the impact of things like
colonization, conquest, and the slave trade.
By overlooking these historical events, it fails to understand how they have influenced the
current state of different nations. It doesn't take into account the effects of things like breaking
up traditional crafts in India or the disruption of social structures in other places.
Instead of seeing the world as a complex system where each part is connected to the others,
this perspective sees it as a group of separate nations that are all equal. It suggests that anyone
can become successful through hard work and determination, like going from being a worker to
a boss or a movie actor to a head of state.
However, this belief simplifies the real complexities of society. It doesn't recognize the barriers
and inequalities that exist, making it hard for people to overcome the circumstances they were
born into. It ignores the influence of privilege, power imbalances, and the unfairness of
historical events that still affect societies today.

US hegemony in development discourse

The United States benefited from categorizing countries as developed or underdeveloped. They
found that using persuasive words was more effective than using force to achieve their goals.
This new categorization discredited colonialism and included everyone in the idea of
development. It gave a reason to support the end of colonial rule, which allowed the United
States to access new markets.
Interestingly, the idea of development gave the United States a different way to control other
countries, without being like traditional colonizers. They argued that intervention was
necessary when underdeveloped countries faced extreme needs.
Furthermore, the United States showed its power by proposing a generous plan that went
beyond the differences between capitalism and communism. They believed that increasing
production was the key to success and happiness, putting more importance on that than
debates about how societies should be organized.
The United States put itself at the top by using Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of
success. This approach was seen as the best and only option, establishing the United States'
strong position in discussions about development.

A new paradigm: The ‘development’ age

These are the reasons why Point Four is considered the beginning of a new era called the
"development" age.

1. It introduced a new way of thinking, suggesting that "development" is the only solution
to solve humanity's problems.
2. Point Four created a global strategy that mainly served the interests of the most
powerful nation in the world.
3. It presented itself as working for the common good and portrayed "development" as a
set of technical measures that are separate from political debates. These measures
included using scientific knowledge, increasing productivity, and expanding international
trade.
4. "Development policy" defined "underdevelopment" as a lack rather than a result of
historical circumstances. It viewed the "underdeveloped" simply as poor without
exploring the reasons behind their poverty. This policy emphasized the importance of
growth and aid, measured quantitatively and with a technocratic approach, as the only
acceptable solution.
5. The "development age" differed from the era of colonization, which focused on political
expansion and the formation of larger empires. Instead, the "development age"
emphasized the expansion of economic space globally, with increasing Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) as the primary goal.