Employment, Basic Needs and Human Development: Elements for a New International Paradigm in Response to Crisis

Abstract

This article reviews various strands of development policies such as employment and basic needs policies, structural adjustment policies, human rights and human development policies, as well as policies emanating from the so‐called Washington Consensus leading to current globalization practices. It argues that the present global crisis presents an important opportunity for making major changes in the objectives, directions and operations of the international system. Major efforts of financial and economic stimulus without such changes are short‐sighted and dangerous. A new approach, a shift of paradigm or framework, is needed that is more flexible, less dogmatic, and is multi‐disciplinary and clearly directed to long‐term international goals: sustainability, stability, equity and human rights. There is also a need for more coherence in objectives and strategies across the system of international organizations. The human development paradigm, now marking its 20th anniversary, has many of the qualities required to be the basis for such an international framework, adapted to the specifics of each country. Some moves toward this should be considered.

Key words:

• Human development
• Global economic crisis
• International reform

Acknowledgements

This paper grew out of lively debate and discussion with Louis Emmerij, who subsequently provided many helpful comments and additions. The ideas were presented at the special symposium in the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) marking the inauguration of Rolph van der Hoeven as professor. Rolph subsequently helped to produce a coherent presentation of a revised and much longer draft. I am grateful to them both, as well as for the comments from an anonymous reviewer on an earlier draft.

Notes

1 For references to the three reports and fuller analysis, see Emmerij et al. (2001) and also Jolly et al. (2009).

2 See, for instance, Employment, Incomes and Equality: A Strategy for Increasing Productive Employment in Kenya (ILO, 1972, p. 1).

3 See Hopkins et al. (1976). In Colombian mythology, Bachue is the Goddess of Love and Fertility.

4 Boughton (2001) makes no mention of basic needs, at least none referred to in its index.

5 On the two banks, see Emmerij (1995).

6 I have set out the contrasts between human development and NL at length elsewhere — (see Jolly, 2003) so here I simply summarize the core differences, including also comparisons with BN.

7 One important exception has been the World Bank’s (2005) World Development Report 2006, which contained a strong, innovative and comprehensive analysis of inequality.

8 For example, there is no explicit reference to the need for income distribution in Sachs (2005).

9 Data from the UNDP, Human Development Report Office.

10 This was a central argument of the World Bank’s 1992World Development Report, issued at the time of the Earth Summit in Rio.

11 The Economist, 30 May–5 June 2009, p. 62.

12 Of course there were mixed motivations in the creation of the ILO — as can be seen in its mandate and underlying concerns. A particular motivation of the time was to avoid the threats to social stability from the Bolshevik Revolution and pressures from trade interests to prevent imports from poorer countries undercutting domestic production in the more developed countries

13 Human development analysis has also been applied to international trade. See the UNDP Asia‐Pacific Human Development Report 2006, ‘Trade on Human Terms: Transforming Trade for Human Development in Asia and the Pacific’, and two background papers for the Asia‐Pacific HDRs (for the same study) by Kamal Malhotra, ‘National Trade and Development Strategies: Suggested Policy Directions’, and by Chantal Blouin, ‘Trade and Health in Asia: Challenges of Globalization’ — published by the HDRUnit, UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo.