“CONCEPTIONS AND DIMENSIONS

OF DEVELOPMENT”
Over the last century, western conceptions of the world and history
have been largely characterized by notions;
• progress
• evolution
•development
Development refers to societies, regions or specified
population groups
During the latter half of the 1940’s and the beginning of the
1950’s various conceptions of development appeared, both in
connection with the negotiations on the establishment of a new
international economic order and in conjunction with the
formation of American foreign policy in relation to Europe.
The Roxas Administration (May 28, 1946 – April 15, 1948)
President Manuel Roxas, in his first State of the Nation Address, detailed the
challenges the country was facing in the aftermath of war: A government
“without financial means to support even its basic functions,”[1] scarcity in
commodities especially of food, hyperinflation, the “tragic destruction”[2] of
a productive economy, and still-ongoing rehabilitation among the different
sectors of society.
In an effort to solve the massive socio-economic problems of the period, President
Roxas reorganized the government, and proposed a wide-sweeping legislative
program. Among the undertakings of the Third Republic’s initial year were: The
establishment of the Rehabilitation Finance Corporation (which would be
reorganized in 1958 as the Development Bank of the Philippines);[3] the creation of
the Department of Foreign Affair and the organization of the foreign service
through Executive Order No. 18; the GI Bill of Rights for Filipino veterans; and the
revision of taxation laws to increase government revenues.[4]
President Roxas moved to strengthen sovereignty by proposing a Central Bank for
the Philippines to administer the Philippine banking system[5] which was
established by Republic Act No. 265.
The Quirino Administration (April 17, 1948 – December 30, 1953)
President Quirino established the Action Committee on Social
Amelioration through Administrative Order No. 68, in order to efficiently
promote the welfare of citizens in the rural districts. He established the
Social Security Study Commission by virtue of Executive Order No. 150, to
investigate socio-economic problems of the working class and formulate
legislation developing social welfare.
The Magsaysay Administration (December 30, 1953 – March 17, 1957) Among
the accomplishments of the Magsaysay administration were the Social Security
Law of 1954 or Republic Act No. 1161. In an effort to solve the problems of
communism and insurgency, President Magsaysay sought to protect the farmers,
through the creation of laws such as: the Agricultural Tenancy Act of the
Philippines or Republic Act No. 1199; the Land Reform Act of 1955 through
Republic Act No. 1400; the formation of the Court of Agrarian Relations through
Republic Act No. 1267; and the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation
Administration (NARRA) through Republic Act No. 1160. The administration
achieved victory over insurgents with the surrender of Huk leader Luis Taruc in
1954.
The Macapagal Administration (December 30, 1961- December 30, 1965)
President Diosdado Macapagal, during his inaugural address on December 30,
1961, emphasized the responsibilities and goals to be attained in the “new
era” that was the Macapagal administration. He reiterated his resolve to
eradicate corruption, and assured the public that honesty would prevail in his
presidency. President Macapagal, too, aimed at self-sufficiency and the
promotion of every citizen’s welfare, through the partnership of the
government and private sector, and to alleviate poverty by providing solutions
for unemployment.
Negotiations on a new economic order took place particularly
among the 44 countries who met at Bretton Woods in 1944. The
negotiations resulted in the establishment of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, now generally known as the
World Bank (they started operating in 1947 respectively).
The IMF was established to encourage International cooperation in the
monetary field and to remove foreign exchange rates and to remove foreign
exchange restrictions to stabilize exchange rates and to facilitate a
multilateral payments system between member countries. The purpose of
the World Bank was to encourage capital investment for the reconstruction
and development of its member countries . In continuation of this, American
policy towards Europe put emphasis on economic reconstruction after the
destruction of the war. He best known element in the policy was the so called
Marshall Plan which, through loans massive transfer of resources to Europe,
attempted to put this part of the world back on its economic feet. The World
Bank followed a similar strategy during the same period.
The World Bank is an international organization dedicated to
providing financing, advice and research to developing nations to aid
their economic advancement.
•Characteristics of both the official development conceptions and the
implementation strategy pursued during the first decade after the Second World
War was their focus on the industrialized countries and their economic growth.
•Since the mid 1950’s the notion of development as something
positive and good has been tied particularly to countries and
population groups in the Third World.
•Economic Growth
•Increased Welfare and Human Development
•Modernization
•Elimination of Dependency
•Dialectical Transformation
•Capacity Building and Development by People
• Sustainable Development
•Development and Security
•Development as History
References:
http://www.gov.ph/featured/third-republic/
http://www.slideshare.net/Jausan/jamesadamsinb650finalprojectrevised