JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY

OF
AGRICULTURE & TECHNOLOGY
JKUAT SODeL

SCHOOL OF OPEN, DISTANCE AND eLEARNING

P.O. Box 62000, 00200
2013

Nairobi, Kenya
E-mail: elearning@jkuat.ac.ke

HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS

JJ II LAST REVISION ON July 9, 2013

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 HRD 2102 Development Studies and Ethics
This presentation is intended to covered within one week.
The notes, examples and exercises should be supple-
mented with a good textbook. Most of the exercises have
solutions/answers appearing elsewhere and accessible by
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clicking the green Exercise tag. To move back to the same

page click the same tag appearing at the end of the solu-
tion/answer.
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Errors and omissions in these notes are entirely the re-

sponsibility of the author who should only be contacted
through the Department of Curricula & Delivery
(SODeL) and suggested corrections may be e-mailed to
elearning@jkuat.ac.ke.
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
LESSON 1
Meaning of Development

Learning Outcomes
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A study of this lesson should enable students to:

Define development
Explain the components of development
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Appreciate the development studies as a discipline

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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
1.1. The Concept Development
Every Person and nation strives after development. This means
that development is honorific term (it is universally desired).
However many people define it in their own context according
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to their surroundings, immediate needs, ideology and historical

experiences. Development is a subjective and value-loaded con-
cept and, hence, there cannot be consensus on as to its meaning
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According to Seers (1979), development is the process of creat-

ing the conditions for the realization of human personality, which
implies a reduction in poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Development is about change in social, political and eco-
nomic structures of society/county and with relations among
JJ II different countries. In this way development can be defined as
J I planned positive change meant to improve peoples lives and en-
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
able them to meet their needs and aspirations as individuals,
groups and societies.
Generally it is assumed that the development process will
lead to greater material and spiritual welfare of the society con-
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cerned e.g., development activities are supposed to lead to better

organized economy, government and social relations.
According to Robert Chambers (1983) Development is a con-
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cept that is a synonym for improvement, advancement or progress.

Development is positive change involving improvement in Edu-
cation Standards, health care and economic measures of prospects
such as Gross National Product (GNP) - per capita income.
Chambers argues that development must entail deliberate ef-
JJ II forts to achieve higher levels in terms of a societys set objectives
J I such as,
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
1. Increase in real income per capita(economic growth)
2. Improvement in the distribution of income(equity)
3. Political and economic freedom
4. Equitable access to resources, education, health care, em-
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ployment opportunities and justice

Thus defined, development is applicable at all levels ranging
from individuals to communities, and nations and the world as
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a whole. Development is cherished by all individuals, commu-

nities and nations, irrespective of their culture, religion and ge-
ographical location. Any process of growth that does not lead
to the fulfillment of these objectives, (or disrupts them), is a
contradiction of the idea of development.
JJ II Therefore chambers concludes that development can be un-
J I derstood at three levels: as a vision or an idea, it can also be
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
understood as a historical process of social change in which soci-
eties are transformed over long periods of time or simply as con-
sisting or the activities of development agents that includes the
government, civil society, organizations and social movements.
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From chambers analysis it is clear that the term development

should be understood as a multi dimension process of change in-
volving the reorganization and reorientation of entire economic,
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political and social systems.

According to Todaro (2004) besides improvements in income
and output development commonly involves radical chamber in
institutional, social and administrative structures of society as
well as the popular attitudes, customs and believes.
JJ II In this way development represents the full spectrum/scope
J I of changes by which entire societies satisfy their diverse basic
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
needs and desires of its members so that they can move from a
condition of life perceived as unsatisfied towards a condition of
life regarded as materially and spiritually better.
It means that development is an elevation of a society to-
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wards a better and more satisfying life. This better life has
3 component values which together represents common goals
bought by all individuals and societies. This are,
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1. Life sustenance
2. Self Esteem
3. Freedom

1.1.1. Life Sustenance

JJ II Refers to the ability to provide basic human needs without which
J I life would be impossible. It means that no country can be re-
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
garded as fully developed if it cannot provide its people with
basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, education, security etc.
Therefore a basic function of development is to provide as many
people as possible with the aims of overcoming the misery arising
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from lack of basic needs.

1.1.2. Self Esteem

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Refers to A Sense of worth/self respect. It can also be referred to

as identity, dignity, respect, honors or recognition. The nature
and form of self esteem may vary from society to society and
from one culture to another. Today economic prosperity has
become the most important measure of worth. This is because
JJ II society gives high value for material things and therefore confers
J I high value and prestige to those having material wealth.
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
Therefore once the common view of a better life includes
materials things, it becomes difficult for those who are materially
disadvantaged to feel respected or esteemed. Therefore poor
people and societies seek development in order to gain the esteem
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which is denied to societies living in disgraceful poverty freedom.

1.1.3. Freedom
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Means liberation/emancipation from alienating material condi-

tions of life which enslaves people to nature, social system, other
people and institutions as well as dogmatic belief. Freedom in-
volves expanding the range of choices for people and their coun-
tries/societies while at the same time minimizing the constraints
JJ II that limits the pursuit of life goals such as happiness.
J I Amatya Sen (2001) has proposed that developments should
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
be regarded as freedom. Freedom for him entails removal of all
the major sources of unfreedom such as poor economic prospects,
social deprivation, poor leadership etc. According to him there-
fore, development as freedom must be about ability and oppor-
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tunity in equality with other members of society to obtain and

satisfy ones needs without any influence from somewhere.
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1.2. Objectives of Development

Development is both a physical reality and a state of mind in
which societies have secured the means for obtaining a better
life. In other words the main objective of development is the
promotion of human well being. However for all societies devel-
JJ II opment must have the following three objectives;
J I 1. To increase the availability and widen the distribution of
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
basic life sustaining needs such as food, shelter, health
care, Security etc
2. To raise the levels of living which may include higher in-
come, provision of more jobs, better education and more
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attention to cultural and humanistic values. According to

Tordaro (2004) this not only enhances material well being
but also generates individual and national self esteem.
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3. To expand the range of economic, political and social choice

available to individuals and nations by freeing them from
the servitude of nature and dependence to other people
and nations and also from the forces of ignorance which
create human misery.
JJ II According to Arthur Lewis (1978) for a society to be free it has
J I to generate economic growth because economic wealth increases
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
the retch of human choice.

1.3. Poverty
Like development poverty is a concept does not have a standard
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definition. However it is commonly defined as a state of depriva-

tion in all dimensions of life including economically, spiritually
and intellectually.
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In reality poverty is a relative, since all people have devel-

oped in a one way or the other to greater or lesser extent there-
fore, poverty is a relative phenomenon. Commonly people and
nations are said to be poor if they are characterized by;
i) Low incomes
JJ II ii) Backward technology
J I iii) Poor leadership
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
iv) A relatively low life expectancy
v) They are prone to political stability and insecurity due to
few policemen per head of population
vi) Under utilization of natural resources etc
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According to Chambers (1983), these deprivations create apoverty

trap which indicates a situation where poor are held together by
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interlocking self reinforcing forces that sustain and perpetuate

poverty. This includes:
i) Vulnerability
ii) Powerlessness
iii) Isolation
JJ II iv) Voicelessness
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
These disadvantages are interconnected and act jointly to rein-
force and perpetuate poverty. As a result it leads to a state of
affairs where a society;
i) Lacks the ability to provide basic needs adequately
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ii) Lacks a sense of self respect and therefore suffer low esteem
iii) Is unable to exercise choice because its people are not free
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iv) Lacks capacity for self reliance and therefore are not re-
sponsible for their own livelihood and have effectively the
future
In most cases these interlocking forces are referred to as obsta-
cles to development. According to chamber these forces can be
JJ II regarded as both a cause and consequence of poverty.
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
1.4. Development Studies as an Academic Discipline
Development is a multi disciplinary branch of social sense which
addresses issues of concern in developing nations. Development
Studies is an inter-disciplinary and applied subject area which
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is concerned with analyzing the processes of social, cultural eco-

nomic and political change in poor parts of the world. Orig-
inally development studies emerged as a branch of economics
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but it has grown to become increasingly inter disciplinary and

multi-disciplinary subject incorporating political, sociology, ge-
ographical, international relations, gender studies, disciplinary
etc
People study development because they want to focus on real
JJ II world issues and problems rather than being concerned with dis-
J I ciplinary perspectives. A study of development studies enables
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
students to;
I) Understands the main development theories, concepts and
debates in their historical and contemporary context with
a view to applying this knowledge in their professional
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work.
II) Engage in an informed and critical way with professionals
from diverse backgrounds concerned with development is-
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sues in particular diplomats, lawyers, economists, political

scientists, economists, anthropologists etc
III) Approach development problems with confidence and knowl-
edge and to have the ability to work collaborate with oth-
ers to identify solutions to national and global development
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challenges.
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS

Example . Defines the concept development and show its
various dimensions?
Solution: Todaro and Smith define development as the process
of improving the quality of all human lives. They refer to three
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important aspects of development.

Raising peoples living standards their income and consump-
tion levels of food, mechanical services education etc, through
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relevant economic growth

Creating conditions conducive to the growth of peoples, self
esteem through the establishment by social and economic sys-
tems and institutions their promote human dignity and respect;
Increasing peoples freedom by enlarging the range of their
JJ II of choice variable as by increasing varienties of consumer goods
J I and services. 
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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
Exercise 1.  Define the concept development and show its
various dimensions?

References and Additional Reading Materials

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1. Tudaro M. (1992) Economics for a developing world, Lon-

don: Longman.
2. Jhingan M. L., (2003). The economics of Development
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and Planning, Delhi Konark

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 HRD 2102 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND ETHICS
Solutions to Exercises
Exercise 1.
Development is about change in social, political and economic
structures of society/county and with relations among different
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countries. In this way development can be defined as planned

positive change meant to improve peoples lives and enable them
to meet their needs and aspirations as individuals, groups and
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societies. Exercise 1

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