Propositions for a Humanistic Displacement of People for the Development of the States in the World

 

Dr. Rama Rao Bonagani

Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration and Policy Studies, #112, Kauveri Block,

School of Social Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Tejaswini Hills,

Periye (PO), Kasaragod (DT), Kerala (State), India, Pin-671316.

*Corresponding Author Email: ramaraophd@gmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

The displacement of people refers to the forced movement of people from their locality or environment and occupational activities. This is caused by a number of factors such as an armed conflict, natural disasters, famine, development and economic changes can also be causes of displacement. In case of displacement of people for development, there are two types such as direct displacement, which leads to actual displacement of people from their locations and indirect displacement, which leads to a loss of livelihood. However, this paper has conceptualized the concepts of development and displacement, covered an evolution of the development concept, theories of development, forms of displacement, consequences of displacement of people for development and finally although, displacement of people for development in not encourageable and can be avoidable, but still this is inevitable  because some displacements of people have happening in most of the states for their developmental purposes. So, this paper has investigated regarding what are the various propositions available for ahumanistic displacement of people for development of their respective states, which they can be utilize suitable suggestions for their requirements in the world.

 

KEYWORDS: Development, Displacement, Propositions, People, Humanistic.

 

 


I. INTRODUCTION:

Development is a plural and multi-dimensional concept. This has been using in various contexts. The study on development has rose to prominence after 1945. In the post second world war period, development was something which was largely focussed on a nation State. Moreover, not only the development has emerged as a major issue of concern in the States after the world war two, in the context of cold war period and also after end of colonial empires, which resulted an emergence of new sovereign states (Kiely Ray article in an edited book, 2012,p.420).

 

As far as the concept of development is concerned, its aim is to achieve a better life and freedom to choose (Sen Amartya article in an edited book, 2007, p.16).

 

The concept of development implies changes, in which it describes the process of economic and social transformation within their respective countries in the World. The question is how to measure the development?. Indexes used for me asuring the development are economic growth targets, economic development, per capita income, purchasing power parity (PPP), basic needs approach, physical quality of life, human development, gender development, removal of human poverty, and entitlements to people etc( Gupta K.R., 2011, p.1).

 

When we speak of a developed society development, in this one can expect that people have to well fed & clothed, stay in good houses, possess access to a variety of commodities, have the luxury of some leisure & entertainment and live in a healthy environment etc. The government in its respective country has to consistently maintain these. This says that development also needed in the developed countries. But compare to developed countries or states, working for the development is needed more in the developing and least developed countries etc. This is very clear that despite the variations, development is a must for all states in the world. In fact, economic development is a primary objective for the development of the majority of the world’s states. This truth is accepted almost without a controversy(Ray Debraj, 2010,p.7).

 

However, development is an ambiguous term. It can refers to a social goal, an ideal of social well being to which peoples, their respective government and their respective states international agencies aspire. It can also refers to a complex of social & economic policies, practices and changes that lead towards achieving such a goal. Economic development policies, which promotes growth have been advocated for the development goal of reducing or eliminating poverty. The normative usage of development is meant to capture good development. Development in its descriptive usage is mean to expansion of an economy’s productive capacity.(Penz Peter, Drydyk Jay & Bose Pablo S,2011, p.42).

 

The principle goal of development policy in a State is to create sustainable improvements in the quality of life for all people. The rising per capita income improves peoples living standards. This is considered as one among many development alternatives. Overarching aim of lifting the standards through development encompasses a number of more specific goals such as bettering people health and educational opportunities. Development is also concerned to rural and urban development as well as infrastructure development (Nangia Sudesh, Jha Mrityunjay Mohan, Misra Suresh, Ramachandran H & Velayutham M, (editors),2010, P.XXXiX).

 

It is important to note that over the past quarter century, the world has changed. The developing countries in the world emerging as a major economic force and political power. Globalization has integrated people, markets as well as work. The digital revolution has changed human lives. Progress in human development has been impressive over the past 25 years. People now live more longer than earlier, more children are in schools and more people have access to basic social services. Yet, human development has been uneven and human deprivations persist. Some have left out. The government in its respective state has to address these. Moreover, new development challenges have also emerged ranging from manage inequalities to climate change, from epidemics to desperate migration, from conflicts to violent extremism.

 

However, Human Development (HD) is about enlarging freedoms so that all human beings can pursue choices that they value. Such freedoms have two fundamental aspects such as freedom of well being, which represented by functioning and capabilities as well as freedom of agency, which represented by voice and autonomy. The HD focuses on the richness of lives rather than on the richness of economies. One of HD index says to maintain a decent standard of living. In order to reach HD to everyone, growth has to be inclusive. (UNDP,2016,P.11).

 

Development is seen as going beyond mere economic growth and bringing about changes in the structure of economy. Sustainable development focuses attention on balancing to days concerns with tomorrow’s requirements. Objective of growth is set as human development, which means an improvement in the quality of life of the people. Enhancement of human development should lead on one hand to the creation of human capabilities through improved health, knowledge as well as skills and on other opportunities for the people to make use of these capabilities. In a broader sense, HD implies human resources, participation and freedom of choice. Economic growth has only one aspect of HD(Rangarajan C article in an edited book,2009, p.82).

 

According to English Oxford living Dictionary, development means the process of developing and an event constituting a new stage in a changing situation. It also says development means the process of converting land to a new purpose by constructing buildings or making use of its resources. Moreover, it also says development means a specified state of growth or advancement. This dictionary has defined the displacement as an action of moving something from its place or position, the removal of someone or something by someone or something else  which takes their place, an amount by which a thing is moved from a position, and an enforced departure of people from their homes typically either because of war, persecution or natural disaster (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com, dated on 8-5-2018).

 

In contrast, the Cambridge Dictionary has defined the development as the process in which someone or something changes and becomes more advanced. It also means the process of developing something new. This dictionary has defined the displacement as the situation in which people are forced to leave the place where they normally live. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org,dated 8-5-2018)

 

The major examples of displacement of people for development projects are such as Three Gorges Dam in China and Sardar Sarovar Dam in India country. These dams have led to eviction people on a truly large scale in their respective countries. However, for decades policy makers in government, researchers, development banks, foundations and NGOs etc have struggled with the problem of how to protect people, who are displaced from their homes and livelihoods by development projects. This paper addresses these concerns (Penz Peter, Drydyk Jay & Bose Pablo S, 2011, p.5). Administration has been playing a significant role for developing their respective states. Moreover, development administration refers to a form of public administration meant to be suitable more for developing countries. The concept has gained wide spread recognition in the 1960s, coinciding with emphasis at the time on state led development. However, development is something that needed to be centrally managed (Hyden Goran article in edited book, 2011, p.648).

 

Each developing individual states are trying to achieve the developed states status. India is one of the best example state in the world. India under the BJP led NDA central government aspiring to be achieve this and become one of a global power. In order to reach this, it has to work to improve its harmonious and inclusive development. India has done well in many macroeconomic indicators in the post reform period. But despite this, exclusion continued in terms of low quality employment, low human development, high levels of malnutrition, gender and social inequalities, rural-urban divides as well as regional disparities. So, development is essential in order to overcome these aspects. It is known that economic growth is only an important instrument for development to attain the well being of the people (Mahendra Dev S. & Veeramani C. article in an edited report, 2015, p.4).

 

Moreover, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth also another important aspect of development. In India and at an international level, it is being increasingly recognised that some equity matters for sustainable development (Mahendra Dev S. & Chandra Sekhara Rao N.(editors), 2009,p.27). Apart from other aspects, states have to keep in mind these aspects to work for development. At international level, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) under United Nations Refugee Agency’s staff has been working to assist and help for the most vulnerable victims of displaced people in the world through advocacy, asylum, cash based interventions, co-ordinating assistance, education, ending statelessness, livelihoods and protection etc(https://www.unhcr.org).

 

II. Evolution of the Development concept:

The concern over development has been there as long as people have existed. Development is fundamentally about an improvement of the human condition. Institutions of International Bank for Reconstruction and Development(World Bank), International Monetary Fund(IMF) and  Organization for European Economic Cooperation(OEEC) have came up for doing development in their respective member states in the world. Throughout the time there have been important voices of dissent from the mainstream approach to development. (Currie-Alder Bruce, Kanbur Ravi , Malone M. David  and Medhora Rohinton  (edited), 2014, online).

 

However, if we see brief evolution of development thought from the Second World War to recent date, it shows that on gaining independence countries first aimed to promote economic growth and while this was quite successful. But problems have emerged and the human dimension was neglected. A succession of alternatives, including the basic needs approach was displaced by the debt crisis and stabilization in the 1980s with very harsh consequences for poverty. The human development approach arose then with the 1990 Human Development Report, building on basic needs and Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach. After these, subsequent developments happened including global agreements such as the Millennium Development Goals, and subsequently the Sustainable Development Goals, whose can be seen as embodiments of the human development approach(Stewart Frances, Ranis Gustav  & Samman Emma, 2018,online).

 

III. Theories of Development:

Development theories are about understanding how the processes of change in societies take place. The history of development theories suggests that specialists should resist pressures to embrace consensus, because as no theory is immune to changes in social values or current policy problems (HarrissJohn article in an edited volume,2014,online). However,  the major theories on development are such as modernization theory(Kiely Ray article in an edited book, 2012,p.421)&(Bates Robert H article in edited book,2011,p.647),dependency theory(Kiely Ray article in edited book, 2012,p.421) and the globalization theory (Kiely Ray article in an edited book, 2012,p.427).

 

IV. Forms of Displacement:

The displacement of people as a result of development projects, policies and processes therefore constitutes a social cost for development (http://www.unesco.org, dated on 27-4-2019). However, what another version says regarding 2 types of displacement such as I, Direct Displacement. The modes of direct displacement for development are legal eviction threat or actual harm and voluntary departure. II, Indirect Displacement. The modes of indirect displacement for development are taking place through these modes such as agent specific incidental displacement, policy induced displacement, systemic displacement and locally interactive displacement. However, there are also two ways displacement of people for development can also be found such as by inducements to move voluntarily or less benignly as well as by threats actually harm to them (Penz Peter, Drydyk Jay & Bose Pablo S.,2011, p.52& 5).

 

V. Consequences of Displacement of people for the Development

As per the World Bank, sixty million people are now forcibly displaced globally. They are as refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers, fleeing conflict and persecution. (www.worldbank.org, dated on 5-1-2019). The displacement of people for development, which means exclusion of people from one or more current crucial uses of a particular area usually land for enhancement of the production or distribution of perceived public or private goods. For this, People exclusions are accomplished through legal, voluntary consent based on negotiations and compensation through money or other kind or combination of these. People exclusions also takes place through illegal coercion (Penz Peter, Drydyk Jay & Bose Pablo S.,2011,p.44). The current ongoing decade of 2010-2019, around 15 million people are estimated to be displaced due to various development projects every year around the globe.

 

Displacement use to take place, if people are there in the various development projects areas. Moreover, as long as development initiatives require land acquisition, they often do cause physical and economic displacement. People in their respective countries are displaced by their respective development projects from their homes, livelihoods and communities. Induced has a connotation that people are convinced by arguments and rewards that they would be resettled for development projects. This was decided in advance (SatirogluIrge & Choi Narae, (edited) 2015, p.3).

 

Development use to uproot people not only from their homes, but also their home lands to which they tied by old ancestral bonds. The removal of people have been taking place to make for the roads, railway lines, industrial plants, harbours, dams, canals and mines. People are also use clear from forests for development. Displacement for development deprives people of many things, some of which are fundamental to their lifes including homes, productive assets, livelihoods, familiar environment to which skills and practices have been attained, community networks and a sense of local belonging. However, when development policies and processes undermine livelihoods, people feel unsafe. If we see India state for example, Resettlement and rehabilitation appears predominantly. It has displaced more than 42 million people in this country(https://www.indiawaterportal.org).

 

The question is what are the forms of harm that can be result from displacement for development. The forms of harm that can be result from displacement include harm to bodily well being harm to economic and environmental means to well being, harm to Community life, status and participation harm to Leisure, family life and mental Wellbeing (Penz Peter, Drydyk Jay & Bose Pablo S.,2011, p.55).

 

VI. Propositions for a humanistic displacement of People for the development

There are variations there in the realms of continents wise, each state or country wise as well as within every country wise. So, the following suggestions can be useful to some extent to every country depends upon their respective countries requirement, if the displacement of people are necessary and inevitable in order to develop their respective countries.

 

1,The displaced people must be empowered so as to share equitably in the benefits rather than being victimized.2, A governance model for development projects that would transform conflict over displacement into a more manageable collective bargaining process and this would certainly to some extent empower the displaced people to achieve equitable results.3, If people are displaced from one place to another site, which has to be equally productive, healthy and desirable than the deprivation consists of loss of accustomed place and the stress of relocation.4, Instead of compensation, people should be give equivalent living conditions as well as improved living conditions.5,No insufficient compensation, no delayed compensation, no greatly delayed facilities to the displaced people should be avoided, because  these likely to become resulted illness, malnutrition and mortality often increase for them.6, People should not forced to migrate or displaced because of the purpose of development .7, Displacement for development can be voluntary and negotiated types rather than forced.

 

8, Public Policies should be focuses on minimizing the negative consequences of displacement through appropriate resettlement and rehabilitation policies.9, Proper justifiable displacement is a major consideration for decision making and this has to be taken into account in the very first stages of development project. 10, Effected displaced people participation and negotiation are crucial elements in development.11, Rights of the displaced people have to be embedded in law, because their lands, livelihoods and lives disrupted by development projects processes.12, Justifiable forms of development required for the displaced people and their respective places.

 

13, The concerned government in a state take it as responsibility for its development projects and for its effected displaced people rehabilitation. Moreover, government has also keep in mind ethics, while carrying out a development project and  rehabilitation of displaced people, if they are affected by that particular project.14, A good satisfactory development project is worth goal for proper displacement of people if it satisfies a number of values including human well being, equity, empowerment, cultural freedom, human rights, environmental sustainability and integrity regarding without corruption.15, The government in a state has to follow human development approach as advocated by Mahbub UL Haq for its development projects purpose.

 

16, Development projects for displacement of people should meet human needs and enhancing human capabilities.17, Do not marginalize and subordinate women in development projects for displacement of people purpose.18,Displaced People should not be excluded fully from development planning process and governance rather they have to be part.19, Displacement of people for development must not be mired in communal hatred, caste hatred and oppression of indigenous people.20, The value of environmental sustainability emerged with awareness that deprivation was not acceptable either for presently living generations nor for future generations. The government in a state has to keep in mind this without any environmental degradation for displaced people for development. 21, Development design has to be reduce unjust inequalities. Do not impose unjust inequalities on displaced People. Moreover, displaced People have to be properly compensated. 22, Objectivity has to be maintained in project identification, site selection, project design, construction, and operation for development in a state. 23, Displaced People should not be victimized and should share the some appropriate benefits of projects that displaced them.24, Minimize the number of people who have to be displaced for development.25, Because of good development purpose, people should not be unjustly displaced without proper rehabilitation (Penz Peter, Drydyk Jay & Bose Pablo S.,2011,p.15).

 

26,Use initiated instead of forced on the grounds that initiation allows  to stay open to the mix of both voluntary and involuntary aspects which present in the process of displacement of people for development.27, The government policy in a state should address the providing the landlessness through land based resettlement, joblessness through re-employment and homelessness through house reconstruction.28, Avoid or minimise displacement wherever possible for development and establish resettlement plans for the displaced people to reverse adverse physical and economic impacts.29, Protection of vulnerable people as well as maintaining grievance redressing are essential for displacement of people for development.30, Give guidance to the displaced people regarding the resettled people themselves have to develop new sets of socio-economic relationships in unfamiliar sites amidst fierce competition for resources. 31, Provide a better quality resettlement and displacement can be carried out in a lawful way as well as people cannot be displaced arbitrarily for development purpose.

 

32, The government in a state should not displace people without consultation or notification and proper compensation for them.33, Media and courts in a state have to work in favour of the displaced people in order to get displaced people rights fulfilled. Moreover, international organizations and institutions have to play a crucial role for helping in favour of the displaced people for development.34, The government in a state has to work with accountably for dealing the displaced  people for its development.35, Displace people for development if justifiable necessity.36, The government in a state has to follow transparency to deal development projects and its related displaced people.36, Apart from compensation, create awareness for increasing to cope up capacity for displaced affected people in the new place(SatirogluIrge & Choi Narae,(edited) 2015, p.9).37, The government in a state has to ensure the displaced peoples livelihood issues ,employment generation, promoting gender equality and ensuring a clean environment(Nangia Sudesh, Mohan Jha Mrityunjay, Misra Suresh, Ramachandran H &Velayutham M,(Edited), 2010, P.xxix).

 

VII. CONCLUSION:

To sum up this paper, it is observed that compared to developed countries or states, working for the development is needed more in the developing and least developed countries etc. But despite these variations, development is a must for all the states in the world. Due to this, some displacement of people use to takes place in every country for development of its country. Because of this, people are facing many harms in their respective countries. So, the governments in their respective states have to work with a balance and humanistically in order to deal development projects in their particular respective states.

 

VIII. REFERENCES:

1.       Kiely Ray, “Development” in, Ritzer George Ritzer(edited)(2012), The Wiley – Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalisation, Volume-one, West Sussex, Wiley-Blackwell: A John Wiley & Sons Ltd Publication.

2.       Sen Amartya, “The Concept of Development” in Chenery Hollis & Srinivasan T.N. (edited) (2007), Hand Book of Development Economics, Volume-one, New York, Elsevier North Holland Publishers.

3.       Gupta K.R. (2011), Advanced Economics of Development, Volume-one, New Delhi, Atlantic Publishers & Distributors(P) LTD.

4.       Ray Debraj (2010), Development Economics, New Delhi, Oxford University Press.

5.       Penz Peter, Drydyk Jay & Bose Pablo S (2011), Displacement by Development: Ethics, Rights and Responsibilities, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

6.       Nangia Sudesh, Jha Mrityunjay Mohan, Misra Suresh, Ramachandran H & Velayutham M, (editors) (2010), Development Concerns in the 21st Century, New Delhi, Concept Publishing Company Pvt.LTD.

7.       UNDP (2016), Human Development Report 2016: Human Development for Everyone, New York, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Publication.

8.       Rangarajan C, “Economic Growth and Social Development” in Mahendra Dev S, Chandra Sekhara Rao N(editors)(2009), India: Perspectives on Equitable Development, New Delhi, Academic Foundation publication.

9.       https://en.oxforddictionaries.com, dated on 8-5-2018

10.     https://dictionary.cambridge.org, dated on 8-5-2018

11.     Hyden Goran, “Development Administration” in Badie Bertrand, Schlosser Dirk Berg and Morlino Leonardo(editors)( 2011), International Encyclopaedia of Political Science, New Delhi, Sage Publications.

12.     Mahendra Dev S. and Veeramani C., “Overview- Accelerating Growth and Development: Challenges in Short and Long Terms” in Mahendra Dev S. (edited) (2015), India Development Report 2015, New Delhi, Oxford University Press.

13.     Mahendra Dev S. and Chandra Sekhara Rao N.(editors), (2009), India: Perspectives on Equitable Development, New Delhi, Academic Foundation publication.

14.     https://www.unhcr.org

15.     Currie-Alder Bruce, Kanbur Ravi, Malone David M and MedhoraRohinton (editors), (2014), International Development: Ideas, Experience, and Prospects, online, Published by Oxford Scholarship online.

16.     Stewart Frances, Ranis Gustav and Samman Emma, (2018), Advancing Human Development: Theory and Practice, online, Published by Oxford Scholarship online.

17.     Harriss John, “Development Theories”  in Currie-Alder Bruce , Kanbur Ravi , Malone David M and Medhora Rohinton (editors), (2014), International Development: Ideas, Experience, and Prospects, online, Published by Oxford Scholarship online.

18.     Bates Robert H, “Development, Political”, in Badie Bertrand, Schlosser Dirk Berg and Morlino Leonardo (editors)(2011), International Encyclopaedia of Political Science, New Delhi, Sage Publications.

19.     http://www.unesco.org, dated on 27-4-2019.

20.     www.worldbank.org, dated on 5-1-2019.

21.     SatirogluIrge& Choi Narae, (editors) (2015), Development- Induced Displacement and Resettlement: New Perspectives on Persisting Problems, London, Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group publication.

22.     https://www.indiawaterportal.org, dated on 26-4-2019.

 

 

 

 

 

Received on 23.07.2019        Modified on 15.08.2019

Accepted on 18.09.2019      ©AandV Publications All right reserved

Res.  J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2019; 10(4): 1089-1094.

DOI: 10.5958/2321-5828.2019.00179.7