The Myth of Development

Face reality. Be honest about what is happening to the majority of people in Third World countries. The message of this courageous book is that the benefits of development, so long promised over the past fifty years, have not come about for most people. Nor are they going to. The necessary investment is not available and modern technology actually dispenses with labour rather than providing jobs for the growing multitudes in the cities of the South.

Many countries, and large parts of their cities in particular, are already collapsing into 'ungovernable chaotic entities' under the control of warlords and mafias. State-driven and market-led development models have both failed. Many countries are mistakenly called 'developing' -- they would, in fact, be better described as 'non-viable national economies' (NNEs).

What is to be done? The 'wealth of nations' agenda must be replaced by a 'survival of nations' agenda. In order to prevent increasing human misery and political disorder, many countries must abandon dreams of development and adopt instead a policy of national survival based on providing basic water, food and energy, and stabilizing their populations.