Beyond varieties of development: disputes and alternatives

Abstract

Many South–South cooperation programmes have promoted development without fully discussing the implications of that concept. To evaluate this situation, recent heterodox development strategies are examined, particularly those under progressivist governments in South America. It is found that development strategies are certainly plural, but they all share a common pre-political background. To address this feature, the concept of ‘varieties of development’ is introduced. Then a new typology on the disputes over development is presented. Three types are recognised (controversies within a specific variety of development; disputes among different varieties; and disputes on alternatives to all varieties of development). The concept of Buen Vivir is presented as an alternative to development, and disputes of the third type, that involve this concept, are examined. Paradoxically, as the current focus of South–South cooperation is to reinforce conventional varieties of development, it is blocking alternatives, even the Southern option of Buen Vivir.

Keywords:

• Alternatives to development
• post-development
• Buen Vivir
• South–South cooperation
• ontological turn

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Barry Gills for his support in preparing the English version of this paper and careful revision; furthermore, three anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments and critiques that helped to improve my ideas and this text.

Notes

1. United Nations Office for South–South Cooperation, “What is South–South Cooperation?” http://ssc.undp.org/content/ssc/about/what_is_ssc.html, accessed November 4, 2015.

2. Petkoff , “Las dos izquierdas.”

3. Ramírez Gallegos, “Mucho más que dos izquierdas.”

4. Sicsú et al., “Por que novo-desenvolvimentismo?”; Féliz and López, Proyecto neodesarrollista en la Argentina; and García Linera, Socialismo comunitario del Vivir Bien.

5. Lavinas, “21st Century Welfare.”

6. Examples of analysis of this progressivist turn from a Northern academic perspective include Levitsky, and Roberts, The Resurgence of the Latin American Left; Philip and Panizza, The Triumph of Politics; and Grugel and Riggirozzi, “Post-neoliberalism in Latin America.” But most recent evaluations within South America are much more critical of issues like human rights, the institutional quality of democracy, economic policies, extractivism and environmental management. An example is the policy review for Ecuador, Cuvi, La restauración conservadora del correismo.

7. Gudynas, Extractivismos.

8. See Lavinas, “21st Century Welfare,” and particularly her review of the Brazilian case.

9. Gudynas, “Natural Resource Nationalisms.”

10. O’Donnell, “Delegative Democracy.”

11. Named by some as the so-called Beijing Consensus. For a critical overview, see Kennedy, “The Myth of the Beijing Consensus.”

12. Lin, Demystifying the Chinese Economy.

13. Yan, Private Life under Socialism.

14. Lin and Wang, China’s Development Contribution.

15. In the sense of Blaser, “Ontological Conflicts,” who provides additional arguments on the so-called ontological turn and the limits of dealing with the concept of culture.

16. As described by Quijano, “Coloniality of Power.”

17. For an example of present debates on South American integration, see Martins, Los retos de la integración y América del Sur.

18. For example, by means of the Brazilian Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES). See Gomes Saraiva, “Brazilian Foreign Policy towards South America” as an example of current debates on Brazil’s role.

19. See Gallagher et al., The New Banks in Town.

20. Lin and Wang, China’s Development Contribution.

21. Escobar, Encountering Development.

22. Nederveen Pieterse, “After Post-development.”

23. Hall and Soskice, “An Introduction to Varieties of Capitalism.”

24. WCED, Our Common Future.

25. See also Escobar, Encountering Development.

26. Watts, “Ecuador approves Yasuni National Park Oil Drilling”; and Hill, “Ecuador pursued China Oil Deal.”

27. Escobar, Encountering Development.

28. Acosta, Buen Vivir; Gudynas, “Buen Vivir”; Schavelzon, Plurinacionalidad y Vivir Bien/Buen Vivir; and Vanhulst, “El laberinto de los discursos del Buen Vivir.”

29. Gudynas, Extractivismos.

30. Gudynas, “Development Alternatives in Bolivia.” See also Radcliffe, “Development for a Postneoliberal Era?”; and Lalander, “Rights of Nature.”

31. Blaser, “Ontological Conflicts.”

32. Group members are activists and academics from Latin America and Europe, activities include events like seminars and round tables in different countries, and an active publications programme. For more information, see http://www.rosalux.org.ec/es/ique-es-el-grupo-permanente-de-alternativas-al-desarrollo-128.html.

33. Marañón Pimentel, Buen Vivir y Descolonialidad.