Bureaucracy, policy making and development planning in Africa : reflections on public administration and development administration in a continent of hope and despair

; _ .

' •'

UNITED NATIONS

AFRICAl~ TITSTITUTE FOR ECONOMie DEVELOPf.lENT AND PLANNING

D A K

A

R

R/26 74

l3URE.AUÇRACY, POLICY M.AKING AND .DEVELOPHENT PLAlnTING IN AFRICA:

RZFLECTIONS OU PUl3LIC AJJI.UNISTHATION AND D:t;VELOPMEUT ADfUNISTRATIOU llJ A COFTHŒNT

nrrhis paper was wri tten and produced for discussion purposes only. It r::ay not be treat~d or quoted as a final document. Commenta, p2.rticularly critical comments, are welcomed by the autborl'

' '• , .

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Page 1.. .,, ...

BURBJJJG:~:L',CY, POLIC.Y MAKING ' AND. DEVELOPMbNT J;'LANNIUG. IN .AF.RICA:

A

1 •

REFLECT'IONS·~ON PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AN.D . .Dl!]VELOPMCNT ... . t;_..Li..U :"ltt.I"JJ;I'_;.L J.» .:Ju TRA. T'•'r~N:...1. 'q. · 'IN. ··..tt ~ CONTI"Tti'NT . J.'i.I!I 'fi'\F .':I.:.J .!-• ·...c.. noPE. ·"Aim.~·::D"ï'SP.A·.,.,,.,::.tU'f..J..l.:..:.,. .1!.1 . .l.,'.Ll ... ;;,_;_ ~ .. ,...,.,. ___ · .. .;,.."! .- ... :· .. ;;, ..\..

·-···-··

_

^{...... •}

...

^;•

...

INTRODUCTION ^.... ^... .. ^{, , \ : . ., ... -;!. -~· ~~--:} t .. ; . ''

•,

. :·.

-; ·. ·.

N~--A is ·c.üs-sion -.·p~ · ·Blire~l.lo;;,acy{

^Pci1+9Y

I~T ~kJng~ ' .D~v~i"ôpm.eb:t·-'li r~n.ning,

Publ'ic. ·),• duii>nis 1 •

trâtiç)n

• _, .·or: ~ • •

D~vêlopme_rÙ

• •

. 1.\Q:~~n'is

~ tr·a ti9n •

· cah b e

•

^dd~p:le

• .

^t:~-

• ^or

. tt_ye'n'

m~:anirigfill' wit~fqut a:n': . ~s-~~ss~ê~Jt of.'• ^{the fq:T êe~' ~p'a pioces' sëÈ ( tbat}

J!lus:t.· P:F9v:·~-â~.:~t~~- ~~ ,-~~~~8 ^,_ 9-:i:\ :p:b~~on

^·'

~~d

^_·

res~.-~ rs:~-i ~;~P.~:· ·~n~~fr!~. ~~~-n~~~·<;·apd

^.

.. à,.et~~minë · th~ .~e:levanc:e

· u .

^:tfi~·:·'a_gerida~ · . -'· .. · !/i.<~ ^{· · · · · ,.;,_ ·' .;:. ' '}

. . . ' . ' '· ' \ • . ; ' . :. l. ' . • . .'

•, . :! . _·; -.· ·~·· ~~ ~ '_~:.··~:.' . ,._ , ·• ·. '-i:-· -~--- J •

•'.

The estaplished

~genda

of.. the African

. b~eauc.rat, .

P<?licy

; maken~

·: ... . . .

dev,eloprrient

plari~er .

and

,~v:e'lopment

..

-~dmin;i.str è.

tor

~s

vlêl+···

as ·

thç:>se: who

~ : . : .. t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . ' .

piu-por.1: to give them iotelleetua). guidanqe .or sup-por-t - i.s no ·do.ubt a

~--~·· --~~-- · . -~- . . ' -·

,func.t.ion of· p~rtj.c1:Üar readings :~L the_se, forces and•_.:processes,, as ·they

; ... ··:: ··:. . : .: , ..

·are:' cohventiona;Lly,.fed into tbe•·,defini tion,. of. Afr.ican pov.erty ~nd.,·

·.0 ·· .. -- . . . . ; .· . . . · ... - ·. ..

therei'ore;:·· t~,e. defini tiàh, of• :the, requirements · of.--A.fri.qan d.evel~;pment.

:.' . -·· ., '• •··· - . .

The ¹ n~a.jor the sis 9f · t~is :pap.er. is .tha t :t;h.e agenda estàblishetl in the se

·; . . . ~ • ' .: . . . : . l . . . '

-~.e.seal:!_ç;?· r-'an~~ 'a,_~.t~~op .à..r"liil-EI·'.a.l?9}lnd' .. t·;bi:l _Jiim.~- o.f··, ipd-epa.Jl'danee and s:ti:Ll . i

ab'tive < :toa.:a;~:~ -a~ -:~.e1i: : a~-

th-è .

~renr~'se~ iïha:t ·'·pr'ov~ied.:, ·~he'ir .~intel

le ctual

. ^{\• : ,.} _· .. ____ '.:

...

:_ ... ·... . ··: ... -·~ ... -.· ... : ____ _ .... -

and·. d.:d'eo.logical foundatio~s' ,·were vei'y.-tnuch ·,a produet' of' the ir timeq

;-!- • • • ,- •

tha t::thaji_. ·. timE? harooured._ _{, . .} a ·number. of mi:Sco:n,cep~.iop.s _{. .} ·ab_out. the nature and c~Ùses: of 9ur:\ll1Jlfierde;yelç.pment,-.as ;.;ell as.illusions qbput_ t):le .recipe fo1'

i .· . ~ . ; . . -:

African developmE?nt·;· and-th at Afr~can · bureaùcr:à ts, ·pol iqy_. m~;tke·rs_, deve lop- m6nt planners and .d~velopment àdminis-trators need to·· join' in the general review of,. tb~ tni~c·oncept,i~ni:l :·an~ ''i:Ùi..{iè:ions ·abcrùt· e~-us$.s ·~:nid trea tment

of

.Afrie~~l --~Çl.e,rd.evelopme.rit

^llOW· goih'g. ob_• ··i_n:·

s·èyeral -' cJ.rcl~ s

as part of

the . procesé _'of! shedding;··tbose"'mis'i)~ohcet>t·i'c~ni·· and ilùmÙ>t'Îs --arid preparing

• • • ' • 1 ' • • .. • • : • • . . • • 1 • • 1 ·-:. ~ • • • • • '.j.

aot-}Pri·¹a!:):O. research, agenda -mor-e firiiily anchdred· to the· scal~ and structure

(• ; . . _, . : . ~. . . ^\ .

-

^{~ ' '}

of our ·ill!derdevelop~~n.(s.r;ii~·-m:§>re · ù.abie':-'to .. ~-~Atr'ib~'tè to

t:h'è

'uni\rersally

~ .- . . . . ' ~ ! . ~· . . ·:. ~ : ~) . \. • . \• -· ; ; • ·; ~ ' .

accepted but often ill-defined g?al of development.

. ;;.; ' ·''

r . \. : . ^{~ ."} : ..

.

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il/ 26 74·-·

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2 :

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Wi thin the widely accepted post-independence

d~:t;~nj;.~J.dp/_ ç)J

d<;lve.l(?p~en~ as the . P:::.o.~ess. ~.f ~ep~?~~c,~n~ ..

t.lw

^?<?ns~n:p}~on :pa-tj;~rns

: OÎj Nort!l America and' developing :tb.e ·lflreans .of ... ~?XtepQ.i.ng· 'an9-- und.~r...:::

: .., . • ·~ 1 • • ' ~ " . ..:.. ~ . 1 -~ ~ - • • ~ • • • • :. • • • ·' ••• • • 1 • •• \ ' . • • • •

·• .

~'J:riti.~g · .thQs~ · . Pél, t.t~:~~~- ; , a'n)l

'the · .. !f9.1,19-ll;y:

~1i~ ~~Y :13.~c·e.p te-Q., ·n.?t~p~

tbà t .

·"' , : .· .. , .. _ ·: .. ·.· ·' ~ .~ . ,,: ·~-·. . . . -. . . • -r-. . · ....... . J ~. ··: • ·" . • ~- , :

;/·,.the._. ¹¹9--~.gel;ppm~p t . p;rÇib,l.em",, a.s fa;,r .as.!. '{liriça "1'/a.!?i.: _gop.pfi.tn.e.9-, ;.J~.a,s i t.p~

..J t'• ..... ^{~·: -\•~, jf~•', '0} •L .. • / -:f .... ,! • ' ,'' •{., ' •al ··~~ ^{0 1} •o\. , ' ,;, 0 ,,_.. , ;o..iJ ,., '•' ⁰ ' lo • •

::!·pr:O:l:ileirit'·oi' :a 'continent" deprived of exper~ence .... of. .thè.. ·rout,ine man~g'è-

•• .. .: • · - •• # · ' • • •

ment of state political and economie affairs", the post-independence

' .

illusion of, knowing·what.shou1d·oe done in order fô,.deve1op- the

~~p o~·t.~ ~~~.o~:of f~~eig~

^•

~r ; i:ya ;~

^{and publio}-: capÜàl arid the·. training

. .->.... ) . ; . . ~-~: :_·· ·:: . ·' .

·of na tionals to manage the se. r~~ourqes··:'- seeqied at once logical 'and

j "'. .. ·, . .! . . 1 ~ •• • ,, . ;. • (· ...

comfo;;.ting _{.,· .} • . That the m;:ï~s.ive, investménts in educati,on and' training; ' ·the.

~odk . ~nd

sometimes passionatEil:.ba.tUes bètweert thG.

e xpôh é· dt~ ·· ~·r

Publi; Admini.strati.on. and

. D eveiopmtlnt·'· Administr~fion

and' the qÙidk · ·

~~ui.r~ ~d e ~

^{of the}

forfn~ r;

^{and the 'domïnant ·or}

a~

^{any rate}

pr e scrÙ~e a

teidè ;ci ~ s· ~n .

JS:rican economie,. polit;i.cal·,·

dipl~matic ·,-

^cul

fm~ l '~nd:·

^...

1 •• :. • • l' ' '·~-; ~ ¹ ~- ^{• ' \ • .1 -}

.ideological activi ty

a:: u

reflected th:ï:s' ''development focuà" is verified

'1)· ; b o t~·.: ~be

^{nature· of}

:~he". de~~iled

.explahations·

~ff e r ed

^'for

Affi~an

^·

• • ' :· • • • ;,. • ' • • ' • ~ • • • 1

poverty ·and ·the m?nne:rO:, in .. ~hiob· .African'-responses· t6 the ëhallénge"

:·· . .

.

^' . . ~ . ... . -^'

·of .. pQvérty were organised t0'. mee~ the.,diagrios.es ·containéd in th~so

ex:Pi~~ati:~~s. ···

. ^J

~:'. :>

\ . 1

In 'that misce.l_lal;ly,.Qf _explanation:p a ,qui.ck review: of the '

,.. · ' •••. , -- • _ •• _, .,_. 1 • •• ' •

pr6·no'ühd~ inents'

of African bureaucrate, po+icy.

1'\la ke.r&, ~

.. d..evelopment ·

• • .: . ; • :•. • ·•· ." '. , , :~, • • ~ ~ ·:' • • ' •. L '. r ~.. l'Il _.:. .., .. '· '. : , ,, :/ •'

plannèrs,: dèvèlopment. aclminü;;tra tors -and. t:P,e,ir. intellectual and ·

, - .. _ ·-·~·t .. ·: . ~. r._/·· . . .. . . . ... . . . . ~. 1 •

·: ·. n· ·'·

. . ideolo'g

.

ical ^{. ·•} cc)mpa~iQns ^-. . ^{. .; _:_.~ '· ~} and fellow -. . -. ·. : ^~

. .

^_.. t.rav_ell.~r~ ^{. .} . ^.

. .

^{. .--} . ^. .reveals the following ^{. . . .} as·:: the 1nbs t farhous or mo13 t ~biqui toup .b~tes .. no,irs.: ,

.

.

^{-;. •· . .}

-

^{. ' . "}

., ..

-~ . . '• ^{. ; 'l. . .:: .. # ~ .: • ~~. •• : . . • • • •} ·' .

,

..

• 1

R/2 674

Page ,3 •

.. , ..

·.

~-)

. ^{;• ~}

~ In~deq'u~c~

'"" ^,; ... . or lac·k of communie a ti on be. tw. ^.. een planners ^{~ \} and administrators,· resulting in the absencb 9r jn-

• · '• , , • , . . ' , • • .; ' ~ , \ · · r ' ·, : · , ·, · ~ 1 ·

adequacy of coopera ti on and. coordina ti.on bet1-re~;n

t . ' •. . .. 1 '· .:· ·:. .. • • ~. ,: : ' • . _; • : : .- ' • • ;

· ':Pianning agencies · ~nd ~dminist~;r.ing ·or. ex_ecuting

•

•. ~ ;- ~ ', ~ • • • • . 1 ~ .. : • J~ • • •

agencies at pl~n FORM'UL!1TION ley_el ;

• • • • • 1 ••• -: ~ ••

b) ·the fact···,tb'at tnTHIN··planniirig·

ag e nc.ies ' : ui~:re ' i~ · o'fte~

~n?deq).j.a te·-·~!lteg:ration in. the th~nki~g ,_and. actiop, 9f

: : . . J t -: ; •. • •· .. : : .· . . . : . . . . ; . ~ . ) . .; •. 1, • •

~its with different sec~()ral .:r:espo!lsil:lilit,te_.~~ , ..

JP

-~ •• 1 .·-· • t • • • •• : •• ·-. • ... • • . • -·-~·· -~ ;.•. • • • • :-'·-•-J ... ... · .

this connection .fragmentation. is also alleged, and

·:·.; · ·

oft ~ n . v~iidly . · all~ge d, ~t

the .

i~ v~l · ~~ - ~h ~ '· org;n~~a-

. '' . . ,-.. •' :. . .. · . . . .... . '. . . . .. .

.

^{. ... . . '}

tion and activities of sectoral units. on the one band

• ; . : : • • ;". ' : ' .. : ·.'. . . ~ -; . '·' .. ; • . . !. " . ."'~ ,. . .

and seçtor~support ~i~s. like manpo~~r foreca~ttng,

. ::; . • ' . t ·-~ 1 i . ' . . • • ~ .\ (._ : •' . . ; . .- . . • .. . . . .. . •.

counselling and :glanning Wlits on th.,b othor , vritb, tho

. ^{. '} . ,. ' . -: . ^{~ :.} . ^• .. ·. . ^. ·.: .. . . . , ' . . ·'··

result, so it is a1leged₉ tpat organisati.or;tal l:?a.:r;:r.iers

• 1 • • :. • r.: ,. . . ~· ': ' .. : ~ J '. :_ • . • ' . . . . .• : • ,. -~ . . ..

are j)ut in the way of sect.orçl.l linkagE::_s ;_

. ~· ·. :

.

^{. . . .} . ^.... . . . . . . . .. :- . . , . ^:

c) -~he, _ab~ence or l·in~equacy_ ·.of ?.~or_din,a tioo::~~.on~ e.:x;0c_:uti~

agencies., a diseas.e said to b~ symptoll_\_atis~,d_.by ._conf],_icting

. ·' . . ^. ···-··· ....

ac.tions by different _{. . .} agencies at instrument lovel, at the

, :::int_:ra~dBpf>-rj;men.tq.l lpvel· ahQ: at; th~ interdripartmonta:I levpl.

TP,e favol:.\I'ite .~x_a;mple ·i~ ·:that_::-of the cate·goJiy. of · cases ,, w:he_re _plq.qs thKt,~ ostens;i.bl.wt-.promote ligri'cul turc .also .. allovr,

command

pr.

,expe[ot a ^~hnistxy. of Finaooe t.o deny. or.. r.estrict the provision of th0 funds-noeded to obtain fertilis.:::rs, ',.::say;, or: agricul tural machihery.· ,. l1l.iro;..:ci1ie:d.: .. an'd dôplorcd ~­

'.tn~ th·:is ·co'nrtèction are sTtûa1tions~ ·tha:t are;:

··sa id:

to. a:l-low

·'·. o:r ob1i·~ diff'e.roht Govcrnrrfe:n.:t.~ -ûepartinenÜJ' 0r

· even '

different

un±ts wi thin -tbe::same depa±:-·tme'nt to-··make 'corïfl-i-c·ting"'domands on a given ·secti'on· of :a·-populatio'rt·or;

pe· rh àps· ;

~imply make

..

^{_, .• . ·.1 \. ·1}

-..:.

:· ^': '--:· ; ..

' · t .

d)

domands. that cannet simul taneously be mot; as also arc

situa.~ion~ where a pp:nfi;r:fu~.~~ipi~_try ?f _Health,_ for inst;~mce,

' •• ·~ • .,. '• • • • ~ ' • • 1 ,. • ' ·:-' • • ; .... - ..

socw-es ;relative pay and ~ther advantagcs for Jts cl?ctors

• ~.' • : ' • • • • , • ~ 1 :. ••. :' ;. • · :. ·;· '.• • ' •• : .... ; .. ~ .• 1 •

and th.ereby, m~kos i ~ ~iffic~t t . ~9~ a ~I~~-~stry ~~ _Agr,.icul turo, say,' to a ttract men and, women into. veterinary f!18_9-icipe or .forces i t to o. tt;ac:t and·

r e. t ~ i~ -v~t~_~i~~y ;· d~~· ~,o~s

^..

a,~ ·~ .:ff~~ncial -- cost

- •• § • ' : : . . . ' ; • '- ! '. ~ ·. ,' .... '. • ; ' ~ . :\'· '

that swells up recur~ent ~xpenditure and put new-projects of a

11d4V:elopmental'\:kind :final)ae.:iaJ.,+y_ôût 6~ rèach~·,,. _{. .} ,-,, .. .

'! ·-,::;_:.,; ··,.:•: :.~ ^{'• -..} ~ ^{.• :_-:··. :· il''\l"r'!} r··:~~: J·;·~~-:·· ~ ^{.,; ..} ~ ^{. . _,:J) ... '}

Scarcity _. of .. train_{J. _. . . :.} e_. d ma,npow_{.• :} e_,r _, to for_' mula_{. •.} té realÙitic· and

r, f" _i.

opo;rati0i:lally val id plans qnd for scarci~y of· àdequa··tt; me.n-

r · · · ' ·, · 1 •• ~ r , :

p()yrer at executing levE!l to implement and admi~l.ster: plans formu_{., • ·•} {a,t₁ ed oy local _{. :' •.}

;e rso~ne

_{• .. ••.}

l ·0~ ' hired

_.

:

_.

G~pa ri~·ià t'o s .

^{In this}

connection the "vicious cb;-cle of pove:z:;ty", ·b01ci" planning and/ or

' .·. . .. . ^•' . .

oxscution by I.J:ini?t;r.ies of Education; the• "brain-drain"; and

~: ' . . ^{.. (} ::

the alleged :failure or inability of Governm8nts to mak:e their

~. -·· . .

countries safe and',.attractive to thoir :supposed. g0niusus hav9 all beon cited as part of the problem;

. ·-~~ :~

.

^'

... .

·, .:

. e) Inço~sistency. of planning

••• ' •.• ' , 1 ,· : . • . ~. ' • •

qnd/?r instr~ent ~cvel;

objectives at conceptual, targ~·t

.l

f')'- ·

cûrri~ûniêiàtiori'- arid

,interest bar:t'iers betwcen "poli t'icians and

.

^{. . ; _,_.}

other political·executives' and the ciVil servants who do or are suppt>sed to· do ·the 'iechnical planning arid èxe·éu-tîon of plaris for devd 'opment, gro~rth or stabilisation,,·.

.. . .. ' , : . '

g} A seventh bê.te noire comeso:':ir'l"·the .. f·orm. of. tho tradi tional iss·ue

· of ·

poli-ticai · and persorial ·corrupt·ion; tha.t=. is -p.Qintod

· ·. %o as resùl ting in ô.epa:r-tur"ès. from' planne.d activitiEÎs or co"~rt' ·overruns ·'w-hich leavë·li t:tle o~ no' re.sources ' available

:for

other -plannèd· activi-ties and.··pp.oje.cts. . ...-. -.,

Other f actors in the rather long list of "devolopment p .... oblems", as the traditional ¹¹development community" sees it include:

R/2674 Pago

5 .

h) Lack~f serious political committmont to plans, re-

·sulting from a supp.osed tenJ.oncy .âmong politiciaJ!S to use. "'plans:" merely as poli tïeal totc:rJ.s or from the

. · eroslo11· o:f any such committment that may hE,:ve existed

· ·· ·'oy ·the sort of su:cvival and day t.o daY, ^_,pressure~ tbat

tend· .to und'ercut :seri·ou:sly ·-pla~ned -act~vit~os. for econo-

!IllC. growth, developmcn-t or .. stabL\.i ty;

i)

.Tho poverty of statistico,l and othcr da:!;a.b~sG fqr

planni~g, which .i~ .said to s.l;!ow in ·,tho rou~~?e falsif ica- tion of plann;lng,..assumptions and expe._. cta ti_{. . .} onsA b_' y .. facts

j) ...

· previously 'in. ex;i..s tence. Èl'l}.t undiscovored and by ^)J.Oi<;

unpredicted, faqts- regar.d~d as statistipally or other- vrise predictable; .

Ipeff~ctive control of. pl~n impl~m~ntati6n ~csulting from the same povo~~y of data ba~e, from a c;ybo;ncti c broakdown .of

oont~.ol m8 ch ani~~ s

( o;

th e ab.s 8 ~c·é

of sucb mècbanisms),

' . . ^. ... ^~· . . ^{' ' .}

orfrpm tbe'pürversenoss of ,politicians and otber politi- cal f_. actions;

.

^.

k. J

The. çâ.tegory of ''otber f actions."· eited under (.j} is re-

gard~d 'both · in the .. literatur~ and ^by a·ggri'e.Yed poli ticians às including tb~ bûreaucra:cy, and tb ose who: s.eek the sorts of explanation for African failure to develop undcr reviç;w oi te the bure.aucracy as ei tber ~~c~ing in the fl8xibili ty neEiJ.ded for development. p_lanrJ.ing ana. development àdministra- tion by .Vi:t;tue of i t.s r..l.logç_J..:!.y burO..':'.UCr::). ti o. U.:l. ture .-or laq.king .i~ .th~ Afr~.cqn s~ tuation in t~e rigidit;v and

cqnsü~tency favoureci. by Weberian and neo'I-Teborian iù.ealists

.. .• • ' • • • r • : •' • • t • ~

P..pd incaJ?a"t?l\:), fo,r tba t rea:;;on,_ of pro~iù.i79-g t~o .. respc.otablc and prof?ssional servie-os · allegedly

; ~ qui ~ ed

arid found in

• 1

"development-oriented" bureauoraoios;

Il

R/2674 Pag6 6.

1). Pa:r;f.Ldoxically(in;_viÇjr~_,.of' thp fa.ct tha:t inad8qua.cy of supervision. and e~ntrol. c,rising frqrn.·cyb~;rn._;tic .<?nd dc.tc,

in~~equacies_. is . o:f.tel!l cl ted f;l,S~.ÇJ.1^{d8vo~o_pm1.::nt} · J;)I'Oblom for Afrtca). tqoso wh_' o_ seek. technica1 and pseudo t.echnical

~· ' . ^\ . . . .

·.:.,'.

... _···m' ') .. ^~

..

^{. ·~}

explana ti.ops , and r~nH)di~·s_ for A;frican __ ynderdovelopment

,. • • • • 1 • - . . • • • ' • • • •

also ci te ns a1;1 f.~r~oan devc;:lcrptnent _ prob~om .. thE._ i~sue of

overco~trali~ation and excesses in the control èf plans and projects. ··., .Among ·. :t:Qose. -.;;rho' sce the·,:problcrn' .this. way ara t~ose.~f· thci partisana: ofcprojec~ planning in tho

· "project planning versus macro_planning" pseud.o .dobate

who see the a·~lege.d qu,ali::tativ,o. 9.-ata and s:tatis~iyal problam~.: of "macro pl~nnong~' -as_, th~. maj ()'.!;'' prob+em in development or development ,.planning in Afr-.ic11 a4d as an overwholming problem that justifies the virtual abandon-

ment 6f "'macro-planning" or, more a6curate'ly' a1ïtempts

in that ·direction. · ·Aise in this • group àrE!:: thé; poli tical

·· ideolo'gical~ salésmen of· the· "planning

from

belo't,r" con- cept; the' "dec8ntral:isation' for develépmtmt'r ·lobby; and technocrats and academies of él certain' cas:t··-of·rriind whose

overw~e~m~ng conp~r,ns are ''.chains. of command" and th<:: corn-

·:~ ~ ..

_. ;plexi t~~s o,f reporting, accountabi~i ty and responsibili ty

. ... ^~ . · .. ^·-~-· .. ·.c ^~.;.- . ^~ . . ....

IDE3~h~~-isrn,.s ·perce ived._ as bureau~~a :tic _:p~onomena and pro-

' .

cesses;;

.. ⁾ . ·-:·_·· · ..

'll.néthoi'·;,cro'P O:f~-rssues· bf; a 'burea:üêratic-t0chnocrr~tic

~ature· f:Lgû:hrig 'in tbe:--;tràdî-t'ionàl" list of j,fr ica 's

"'d:cvelopt'nent prob:lëms.r-' coneérns :tho·· use·;· nonuse- or· abuse of ~vailablc· iüa~nhig a:i'ld' ~i'rnplern€ntation techniquo:s like

... ·' costîng

abd

other • àccourtti~g- devïcos; P.lannii1.g,-· Programming

anJ. :Budge'ting Sys.tems· {PPBS); 'Rationa:lisation d1.t'-Choix B~d:getaire (RCB) ; Network Analy-sis ·or 8r-itical Fa:th Method ( CPM) :etc;

'·.

·•:.

R/2674 Page

7.

n) Since tho agenda of the traditional devclopment circles

·· · takès. f·or ·g'ranted: thv perpetue:tion. of detionlency and tbero- . ·.fore the ··overriding importance of ·Hexter.nal¹¹ factors liko

the disposi tiohs .,of . .foreign ·in:ves-t,ors ,- baL nee of pe.y- ments accounts,. offic.ial ¹¹aid^11' ·e.tc; .the notoriously

•, • 11Whimsical ^~! charaoter.:.of · the ^s-e~- fac.tors .;... as oviJ.onced by' thG failure: of' f-oreign investors . .to rush .into particular

· countries· to take advantage of .. :ins:titutionally chaup labour, expensiv~ly laid.-.. out infœastnupturo, invc::stment co.de.s tha,t.,vd:.rtua:lly offer .our .countries and thoir re-

::·.'. sources an:·..La silver platte.r etc .. -~ and the normally pro-

.1 .. ,

·.:

..

...

· dictahle 'detorior' ':r..îtion of our positions when these factors

are not. beirig. orratic have held --the -attention of tradi tiom.l develoJ?merit think~rs. and .a.ctivists, .. (ilthough usually as , 'narlDowly definGd · ¹¹oconomtc¹¹ problems on Jlhat would othor-

-vrise be a smooth Y i f long .and tiresome pa th to .. ndev8lop- mentn.

Qf; a different .order .of ,,externality.¹¹ buJ falling, no less ïn the category. of ¹¹.devcldpment ·problelï)s:¹¹ for _:;~fricn that sp2.ro us_incortvênié'nc.e .. .of ·Iooking .. a~ :the structura,l clwractor·istics of lifricaB povert;y : and::,.thus .-.th'c·:.::fi:;f:ricÇJ.n-· developmen·t problem aro ~

o)

.Acts of

God·· :

'oft.en irivckè'd to ·assigne :r:esponsïbility ::·o:r

· Lick of déveiop-meri~

ot·

obstacle~ in th6 path of develop- -ment to t'cio little· o·; tào ·rouch rain, poo.r ros ource ;:;n.iow-

. '

nïent, etc;

'

p) The Pèo'plè (.with a-·capiial P) - for, i;hei,r failuro to re·spond acco·rdii:1g to· sorne .standard o:f. re.tionality to the

prescriptionS.~, .exborta'tions, _ incentivè::;; anGL dis inccntives

.devie€- . or administered ·by"politicians~ ' planners9 administra-

tors, extension· officers 0tc9

...- :. '

R/26 74 .

Page

8 .

-~ '

. i ^.i

q) "The Poo'plé1^1, or

· a : '

variant of the' ¹¹Pèople' Problt;rn^11,

"1-fhoso· contribution t'o ùndcrdevclopment or tho obstacl0s

. . L

to devel'opment consists in th'eir ailegod indol-.:ncG or

conservg.tism~ Tho .citation for ' "t:he People¹¹ hGre -

' .

anfr mo_re: pàrt·icula:dy the peàsan-ts ·- = "e:iloges tha t by the ir-indol~.nd·c or ·cons8rva tism · th.ey ·are provented

•

~

.. from wqrking hard en'ougb or' div-orsift ing tho ir pro-

r)

1 • • • 1. ' . . . ! .

duots'-'or' taléin'g th8' nGC8SSary· r fsks·· 'to·'e.chi~:>VO tbEJ im- provement in their material: well-b~_;ing· predictçd for them by thoir economie and· adillinistrative gurus or to bülp acbi0ve tho· prodtiction ;;:nd' consurr.p·Üon targets .. requ)i.red or plannod. or hopod for by thtir bureaucrats,

poJ,icy m~kèrs, planners and a.d.rünistrators and equatE:d by them to devolopment ->or to somo alleg~clly cri tical

step to.development;

Tho People - meaning the same section of tho masses

· identified for- ·the purposes of problerri (q) or a

.,.

d.iffGrùnt section of the ·masses - bave r8ceived lis- bonourable mentio-n in.-tràdi t iont.l fldeV''elopmerit¹¹ circl..::s for yet another crime· againstJ."dcvel~pm0nt¹¹• ^·. ·:trere

the concerr is ~ot exaotly about a mass of.conscrva- tive and indolent crewtures çontentto l ive in a state of notable savagery ·and consequently unresponsivc to stimuli created to revolutionisc their lives f or their own good and the good of their national oconomies. Thu pic ture, inst ead, is one of .dn rimpa'ti8~lt mass of peopla pushing a so-caltod

"r ovolutî~n

of rising.

e~p e cta tion s

¹¹ and threa·tening planning or devtllopinent planning by

1,1qùeue jumping" and ra general stampade for the bGnefi ts

1 ~ ·.- ' •

- ·

l

'.

-

R/2674

Page

9.

of development before ^ca~efully dcviced ^pl~ns, and planned develppment rations,. ba~e bad a chance to usher

. !

ir~ prosp.eri ty and .~app:Lness for . all~ In this "spoÜing rol_. e" the ··.P<;3ople. ar~ _. particulariy off~nsive to those

. . . . . . . . .

mel,llbBrl? of the . t::r:-adli:.tional ~'deyel_opmen t communi ty" who

. . . .

b~l;i.evo tbat the s_ecret o:f _de.velopment. is the careful

~usbard;ry of a local. and comp;rador· b,ourgeois.ie, .but will .Pl.<?-;y. , in th y. co12:temp·ora~y underdeveloped. cour1tri8 . .s ·. ~flB de- :. :velopmenta~ .role plc;ye~ b;v :the -bourgeoi;3ies of ;Eurq:pu a.nd

.. , :NortJ~ ATJ!eri.ca. · These, and tbei,r fel)ow travellers, are

. ., generally the most impa:tient "~o-li t~ demand from ·bel.Oi'f tha t

,.:

.. , .are, cre di te

cl

wi tb pr eventing ar_1d s.ti;fling the ass iduous cùl ti- vation .i~ _th-0 underdeyelbped coup.tries of such.a qourgeôisie. Equally impatient ·wi,tlf "the ·spoil~r rol.e" :o:f. the People are

the Growth Pole and Trikle down tbeorists and ideologues of development ;·

$) .

By their .alleged responsiv:enes.s ;.i;o :irresponsible, .subversive?

.perv,erse~ . selfisb, frustr<:l.ted :or seotionally-n!inq.,ed leaders,

demagogue~. and subvers::j.ve elem~nts the .~~pple nx_è also sometirr:es

.l1q~d t.o éJ:C.count for "~dqrq,evolopment or obs·tacle.s .. of ·developr,~ent

_ for .àllegedly ~nc;o.uraging . aJ?d: .tr.ansr\1ittipg .t he _ppl~ t;ical dis- se.nsions tha,t :are he1d. in ;the tradi t~o,nal "devè-lopr.lqnt coror.1uni ty"

to. be serious enemies of...development. Often :this ·is a .referonc8 to the fact tbu. t oomp;e;t;_ing elite groups SOJ.llet·ime.s use mass mobi- lisation techniques ·Wbich threa ten the poli tic:J.l and social sta- biii ty of the dominant but perpetually~ 'threatened' ·~ower groups,

thus underrnirling ·the cont1nui ty tl:i.a t ··is 'held

" by

^{many as a· procon-}

d'i ti on for succe"ssful"· p'lanning, and; by a somm~ba t illèg:Î:ti~h te

• • r · :.. · : ·. 1

e:icton'Sion, for sudcessfui developme'nt planning und developrnent i t self. Often, however ₉^{. ,} this' part ibular · i t(::lffi is used . to; milsk or ignore the f<wt that thë "stabili ty· tha t ·is tbereby implici tly '•' o'r expliéi ty';defënded ·requires

· t he..::: ·

vi~'tims of tbb · ~t~ tus quo

...

^{, : )}

:.:. ....

R/2674 Fage 1 O.

in

· a

giv'èn :ütu:a+ioh ·to ·a:cc-ept coritinuïng poriph8risation

t.l . • . .! ... • '

·within a ··soci6'-politi,c·a1 .. ,;o.rder that .givos ·them -a st:r:uctural

;, a.'i:sadvantage

~nd · 1im~·t s

^iÙ:wÎ:tf

a o o ~ ss

^{to tht.-:.' good t:hings of}

1

l ifE,', à:r co~trols such ac·èoss in

a

··mann0r that rrierGly s0rv0s ''to ·eonfirm ·their"-ma:rgïdaiity;.· ,'···r····. ·· ,. • ...

lt ·1:.

:t} }1l~o w~thin ,",t_-.. ht,; · Pe_. oi?~e _,. as a_{. ...} , qcn~~:r.aint_. . . . , •'On-d~' " ve·1. lqpme·nt". .. ..:cat-e- .. g9ry .o~ ~ccou~tf:1 '·_in. the .;;~at~~~?!'\~~. n.<\~V~·lQ~l1)_.9n~: c;:ommuni ty",

'· :of,, .. underddv;~lopment in Afrida,al1.d.E)ls.owher61·i.n ''tljc 'rhird

. ' . 1 1 1 • ' ' 1 • • . ...t 1 ~. ,. ,. • ' • • ,., j. ~ . . . . •• :· .: •• : • • • : · : . • 1 't . :• ', t - ~

•• ,' 1

VIdrid.

i. s. ,

'of. càÙJ;'sG'. 'jïhq r e9e:ntly :i,nvent~q_ '"feop_~e Froblem"'

. • . . .

also known as. the Population Problem or ~h~ Demographie Factor

' \ ; . . 1 •• ·.-. .. •:, . ,-··

and under s~veJ?a:).. , othe,r al.iases whiph refC;r,. more or less politoly, to thq Peoplos' breeding habits.;

• ' • • ·' ' • ••• 1) !

1 i .,: . 1 •

u} Rural-urban mi.gration - openl;y- encoUr.aged as th(: v<c.y to solvt:J the probloms

of ^disgui~ed

^{unemployment in'Africa's} rural areas,

.

.

parasitism and reluctance to enter th6.·modern soctqr of Africa's ' ^:.~eonomic' li:fe,. at the t i me whon the tradi ^~ional ."dcvelopme-nt

9om.murü ty" ·1:fa~ .:pi'.?occupi~d w~ th the p:r:oblems of _rocrui ting labour ipt-:> the . e:x:trac,~,ive, . f!G~vicG a~.d impor~::.~ubs ti tut ion

industries pnce dev~loping oJ?·sought ali over .Africa - is

' . ' • ',\ •l . •.• 'ï .· '· '

no-w:, of ,CO'L\I'Se_,. ; .. a _. numbe::n-, one_.. it_·.• em _{. .,} on most of the lists of

' '. . .

.. l~frica ¹ s. "developmept p:poblems" now coming out of the samo

. . . . . . . . ^.

traditiona;J. "d~yolopme~t community";, ,

Apart;

6:t' ^{éour~e ,}

^{'from t b0 fact that}

^thi~

^{li:tst ii·Jm é(:mstitute.s}

a

v ari e~t ~f

·'i-he larger· "People

I- r~bl cm " '

(

t~ : Ù; di s

Ùng.;_:Î:shed from 'the

n~ rrowe r ,·,Pe ~ pl e ~ ~oble~ " whi~h · is

a direct

- ~e f e r e nc ~

· to tho ..

,}) rCOC C~p~ tions ~ f th ~ ri e:; cii'.~a l't bus' latis .

in the

ri~ev'e l opm 0 n t

Ôommunity")

i t i s

~ lso , ~~ 8 arly,

^{in :thc 'category of}

"th ~ · r eà l p ~obi e~j s ,••

^as

,;eil as pseuao

' probl ein~ ' t'li~

t

figur~ ·

in the

tr'ad.i ti~n a l

lists of '_'dovelopment

:P ~obl ~ ms

¹

'~ t~at

'fail

h~w·ev~ r,

^1. 'to. chs.tipgu.ish-b-et1.reen :•·thG causes and syinp:tCDms

o~~ o ff u ct~ of ' undè rdevelop~erit·.

. P.lso in

this éategory are:· ^.'

.

R/2674 Page 11.

v) A so-callad pnu6ity of entropronourial t~lcnt or entrèproneurial capacity; r<:3sulting ~rom· lG.ck of education or rniseducatibn₉ ~ so..:...éalled "cultural .. lag"' ·and)or the ·pauci iy ·of a so-call (;)d "acbivVt:làunt

motivation" causûd by our weathcr or our i\fricmmes·s of tho. ·way _i~frica''s rnotbvrs and fatbers br ing up thcir

cb.ildr<m; ^·{

' ~r) Tho paw~i ty of a J.emand base for tbo products of th0 im- por't

·'~ubsti

tutiori

ind~s t ri8s

that domina tt;

.l~frica

¹ s d 'forts

in t

bJ

field of in-lustrial.i sa tien.

From tb~:.J fact tha t Africa' s "terms of t rade'i Hi th tbË:i out sidG .vrorld. are defini toly to 1\.frica' s disadvantage'₉ soi,~</ among tb(:; tr.3.d.i--

tional "devGlopmcnt oommuni ty" bave identif i6d as _·,frion; s '' · ovslop- ml:nt problè'mH'

not

the structure of Africa, s Ù3p.:::cl.::~c;y· r. 2.a tiC>:::!::~~-~' 1-rith EuropE: anJ. N'orth il.m8rica, w i th uhioh Africa carrios out

virtually all of its "trade". either directly or ind.ù'cotly but a strangu ntity cal led: ·

x) "the la te dovolopmunt efft:ct", which is Sl.lpposGJ. to determine that l~r.ica cannet be compétitive in any-r tbing exccpt i ts ra'l'/ ma terials and labour ₉ >·rhicb cornmodi ties can only be sold, following supply and demand, on' the basis of values and ther0forc priees plo,ced on them by tho structure of derno.nd. 'l'hi s

"late dev:Glopment eff~ot" is alsc said. t.o further determine that Afr:i,.ca v1ill look to Europe and

North America f or ber c.onsumption patterns and~ again follow ing supply and deman·d, pay wh a tever i t takos ~

in monetary and nonmonetary terms ·- for quality, sophis- tication · and an advanced notion of the good lif0 t-'hiob are, of n0cessity, European and North'i~m\::rican cxportsj

rt/ 2.6 74

Page: 12.

Lnd from · tbe ''~Tic::.:ous circle'' ~chooi of' tradi tional ¹¹dovvlo:pm0nt•: thinker s there is ,

of

^course, the view 'that poverty is .:1 cun;ul<divc

)l'OC0as and th at the · fundainontal problein 6f African povorty is·:

y) African poverty. ^{. ··,}

Finally, .and again fro.m among th0 ranks of th~1 tra'ditional

' .

11d~velopment c.ommuhity''· cornes· the discbvery· ·tha t è.. m11.j or, if not the major problem of African ·underdevelopment is:

' .

z) ·

the coup d'état., a fPctor ·which particularly engag0s tho .attention of those witb a vesteJ. interest in ·a.n axisting

regime continuing in existence or being dismissed from -pQ.wer .'only Under ·cons ti tutioni:il and polÙ.icai · r~lc;s tha t

'do not stràin or. throaten tho status quo they.'favour and

inevitably featuro as' a guarantGe of economie arrangements, understandings or projects favourable to tl0tion of dE:.volop- ment.

..: _( ... , j

' : ~ .

\·

1.