National Efforts in the Field of Social Development

Abstract

First, a working definition, or description, of social development is attempted in order to distinguish it from economic or community development. Next, reference is made to factors which have created the tremendous postwar upsurge of interest in social development, particularly in the United Nations and its related agencies. This leads to consideration of problems faced by national governments, particularly in newly independent, underdeveloped countries, as they attempt to meet their responsibilities—often written into their consti tutions—in the field of social development. Each country faces the difficult problem of priorities. Some, like India, frankly recognize the necessity of giving priority to economic and industrial development. Others, like Pakistan and the Philippines, attempt, not always successfully, to strike a bal ance between economic and social development. In still others, certain kinds of social development programs—for example, in health or education—may actually be a precondition of suc cessful economic development. Seldom can less-developed countries give high priority in their social development plans to social security or insurance programs. The article concludes that each nation must resolve the problem of priorities for itself: international or bilateral advice, technical assistance or even financial aid cannot substitute for national effort in the field of social development.