Toward a Concept of Political Development

Abstract

It may be possible to arrive at a concept of polit ical development by identifying the political ingredients of the process which will lead to enduring political systems in the newly independent states. Such approach would focus on the initial role of initiative in an environment of progressively disrupted traditional small-scale societies and chronic economic dis equilibrium which often characterize these states. Perhaps by default, this initiative has become the function of government. At this stage governments in newly independent states, how ever, do not possess the capacity to direct the course and the rate of social and economic change. They will yet have to develop this capacity through steady and balanced increments in their capacities of coercion and persuasion.