Dr Mahfuzul Haque(Lecture Notes 1.1)

Points for DiscussionPopulation and DevelopmentColonialism and DevelopmentIndustrialization and DevelopmentGreen Revolution and DevelopmentNeo-Malthusian theoryIntermediate Technology and DevelopmentPoverty and DevelopmentEnvironment and DevelopmentSustainable Development

Issues for DebateWhether over-population is the cause for

poverty?Whether consumption practices cause

poverty?Whether poverty pollutes the environment?Whether inaccessibility to food causing

poverty?Whether “Green Revolution” was a mistake?Is it better to remain undeveloped for the

sake of a pristine environment?

Population & DevelopmentBritish Economist and Demographer, Thomas

Robert Malthus in his Essay on the Principle of Population in 1798 argued that population would outstrip food supply. Population grows geometrically, while food grows arithmetically

There would be massive starvation and famine and so population would eventually be stopped

He didn’t consider agro-tech, HYV, GM cropsWhat type of agricultural development?What type of consumption?Carrying Capacity of the Earth

Colonialism & DevelopmentBritish and French colonialists justified

“development” by the belief that industrialization, modernization, westernization, and individualism are beneficial for the natives

They brought roads, coal mining, hydro-electric projects, irrigation projects along with their adverse impacts on environment

Great Britain justified colonialism in the name of “white man’s burden”. Similarly, France claimed to be involved in a “mission civilisatrice”, a civilizing mission for its colonies

Colonialism & DevelopmentHuman behavior is conditioned or determined by

the physical environmentProponents of “Environmental determinism”

advocated supremacy of the people of the temperate region (mild temperature without extremes of heat or cold)over the tropical region (region between the two tropics having warm or hot temperature all year)

They justified domination of Europeans over the people of other areas; racial domination and suggested for mega-projects at the cost of environment

Industrialization & DevelopmentIndustrial Revolution in Europe in late 18th and early 19th

century introduced steam power engines fuelled primarily by coal, water wheels and powered machinery in textile manufacturing caused adverse impacts on the environment

“Grow now and clean up later” policyHarsh working condition, long working hours, unhygienic

living conditions took tolls on the environmentIncreased rural-urban migration; air and water pollution;

polluted automobiles; and unhygienic living conditions of the workers

Modernization, rapid urbanization had profound impacts on the environment

Green Rev & DevelopmentGreen Revolution in 1950s and 1960s brought

HYV of food crops, fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides, GM crops that created increasing dominance of multinational companies

Revolution had adverse impacts on the biodiversity, water bodies, soil fertility, fisheries and wildlife

Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring in 1962 described adverse impacts of DDT on the humans, mammals and birds

Socialist approach to DevelopmentControl or taming of the nature was the

policy of the centrally-planned economiesThey came up with mega-projects related to

irrigation, hydro-electricity, coal burning power stations etc

These policies were no different than policies of the capitalist world

Neo-Malthusian ApproachA group of economists led by Meadows in 1972

published The Limits of Growth stated that if current rates of consumption and economic development continued, population and industrial growth would certainly stop before 2100

Economist Homer-Dixon in 1999 noted an interconnectivity between human population growth, rising energy consumption, global warming, ozone layer depletion, rising cropland scarcity, tropical deforestation, rising scarcity of free water, declining fish stocks and loss of biodiversity. He suggested for lowering of population growth

Neo-Malthusian ApproachIs increased population a curse?Bangladesh1972: Food production was 10 ml MT with 3 ml MT

shortage for a population of 75 ml2008: Food production is 30 ml MT with negligible

shortage (2-2.5 ml MT) for a population of 150 mlAmazingly 10 ml farmers make a silent revolution

on a fixed geographical areaIndependent Namibia with low population had

difficulties and Mozambique recruiting Bangladeshi farmers to cultivate fallow lands

Technology & Development“Intermediate Technology” was developed by E

F Schumacher in his book Small is Beautiful He advocated for low-tech and need-based

people-centred development as the modernism reducing carrying capacity of the earth. Pro-people policy

He suggested for technology that would employ large numbers of people and not machines. He termed this technology as “intermediate technology” poised between pre-industrial and modern age

Poverty & DevelopmentPoor people are often forced to exploit the wetlands

and forests in an unsustainable way causing environmental degradation

Hunger is not due to overpopulation but lack of access to food. The planet produces enough food for the entire population. Problem is accessibility to food

“Poverty pollutes the environment”. How far this statement is correct?

There is also a view that it is not poverty but over-consumption of the rich people in the north causing environmental degradation

EnvironmentEnvironment is the sum of all external conditions

affecting the life, development and survival of an organism (any form of animal or plant)

Environment is a complex web of interrelationships between abiotic (non-living-air, water, soil) and biotic (living organisms-animal and plants) components which sustain all life on the earth, including social and health aspects of human beings

Environment is the sum of four components: soil, water, air and biota (plants and animals)

EnvironmentEnvironment includes water, air, soil and

physical properties and the inter relationship which exists among and between them and human beings, other living creatures, plants and micro organism.

Environment is affected by the changes in inter-relationship among them. (ref: section 2(d), ECA, 1995)

DevelopmentDevelopment is intended to bring a positive

change for human being and its surroundings. Development may take place by bringing about a change in policy, projects and legislation

Environment is where we live and development is what we all do in attempting to improve our lot within that abode

We are to strike a balance between the two. Development must continue without compromising with environment

Sustainable Development“Sustainable Development is the development

that meets the needs of the present without compromising with the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. (ref: Our Common Future, WCED, 1987)

The issues of “intergenerational equity’, “needs” and “limits” are of importance here. Needs mean different things to different people and to our ability to satisfy them. What is the limit of growth? How far to go and no further?

visit: www.un.org/esa/sustdev

Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment needed to be sustainable; it must

encompass not only economic and social activities, but also those related to population, the use of natural resources and the resulting impacts on the environment

Resources are thought to be infinite ; and pollution and environmental degradation are considered the inevitable consequences of industrial development

Development and conservation are incompatible; challenge is to develop minimizing adverse impacts on the environment

Probable Questions1. What is meant by “Sustainable Development”?

How such a development could be achieved?

2. Agro-technology greatly increased the crop yield. What are the elements of agro-technology and their likely impacts on the environment

3. Nexus between population and consumption. How over-consumption could harm the environment?

4. “Poverty pollutes the environment”, do you agree? Give justification to your answer

Readings MaterialsKingsbury, Damien et al., Key Issues in Development.

2004, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Pages: 22-44, 221-226,266-291

Kothari, Uma (ed), Development Theory and Practice: Critical Perspectives. 2002, New York: Palgrave. Pages: 92-113, 136-156

Rahman. A., et al, Exploding the Population Myth, Consumption Versus Population: Which is the Climate Bomb? Dhaka: BCAS, July 1993

Rapley, John. Understanding Development: Theory and Practice in the Third World.2002, London: Lynne Rienner. Pages: 161-182

Willis, Katie. Theories and Practices of Development. 2005, London and New York: Routledge. Pages: 146-172

THANKS