Austrian Conference on the Development Decades
| Date | 01 January 1969 |
| Published date | 01 January 1969 |
| Author | J. P. Hayes |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/j.1099-162X.1969.tb00361.x |
Austrian Conference on the
Development Decades
(A Note contributed by J. P. Hayes)
The sub-title of this Conference, held in June, 1968, was
"The
First
Development Decade - a Review, the Second Development Decade - a
Preview".
It
was organized by the Vienna Institute for Development, an independent
body with
officers
drawn from many countries, developing as well as
developed.
The Institute's purpose is the exchange of ideas on development problems
and to increase public interest in development, not only in Austria, but
wherever the publications of the Institute may go.
2.
The main title was "Confrontation". We were assured that the word
had been chosen becauseit is the same in the three working languages of the
conference, German, English and French.
It
was a confrontation in the sense
that it brought together people from many countries - developing as well as
developed, from the East as well as the West - and of many professions -
politicians, economists, bankers and businessmen, people from international
organizations, journalists. Altogether there were 46 participants from about
twenty countries.
3. But "confrontation" is a naughty word among people concerned with
development. We are supposed to speak of "constructive dialogue" (blessed
word - what should we do without it ?). Coming so soon after the Second
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in New Delhi, the
Austrian meeting might have developed into a real confrontation. It was
very encouraging that this did not happen. Away from the over-heated
political atmosphere of inter-governmental meetings, everyone was prepared
to take a balanced look at what has happened. In the words of the statement
drawn up by the conference, many less developed countries"
...
with access
to resources and development a central objective, have developed quite
rapidly . • .
That
there are many such success stories among the less-
developed countries is a reason for optimism and encouragement". While
other countries have done much less well, for reasons which may be internal
as well as external, circumstances vary so much that " . .. figures of average
growth are misleading
...
" Nevertheless: "Despite the progress in the
1960s, the First Development Decade was not without its failures.
The
pronouncement of the Development Decade was not accompanied by the
creation of any machinery to promote it or any definite commitments to
undertake the steps necessary to achieve it."
The
statement further admits
that "
...
a process of mutual disenchantment has taken place".
4. These brief excerpts may give the impression of careful, "on the one
hand, on the other hand" drafting. In fact, in two and a half of its thirteen
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