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the goals of the chapter is to acknowledge overriding development paradigms
and how they influence or are reflected in tourism. While it is acknowledged
that there is a diversity of approaches and classifications of development
theory, for the purposes of this chapter the seven main paradigms that have
been identified are: modernisation; dependency; economic neoliberalism
(also commonly referred to as globalisation); alternative development; post-
development; human development; and, most recently, an emerging para-
digm of global development. While is not possible to provide a detailed
comprehensive study of development theory, the key components of each
development paradigm are discussed as they form the basis of the analysis to
which tourism development is evaluated in subsequent sections. The chapter
begins by examining the nature of development.
Nature of Development
While there have been tremendous advancements, the planet still faces a
number of new and old problems. The problems of persistent poverty and
unfulfilled elementary needs, famines and widespread hunger, violations of
political freedoms and basic liberties, neglect of the interests and agency of
women, and increasing threats to the environment and the sustainability
of economic and social welfare continue to face both rich and poor nations
(Sen, 1999). Collier (2007) refers to the
Bottom Billion
who are the people
living and dying in 14th-century conditions in countries that are falling
behind and often falling apart. Other more optimistic views indicate that,
over the last 200 years, global health has improved in countries once identi-
fied as 'developing countries' (Rosling, 2013). The definition of development,
classified as a normative term, has long been debated (Harrison, 1988;
McKay, 1990). A widespread view today of development is 'the imposition
of institutions and values by the West on areas deemed to be in need of
development guided by an over-ambitious all-explanatory development
theory' and the people in these areas are seen as legitimate objects for devel-
opment intervention often more of the harmful kind (Hettne, 2009). As
pointed out in Chapter 1, the term development has had several meanings
including 'economic growth, structural change, autonomous industrialisa-
tion, capitalism or socialism, self-actualisation, and individual, national,
regional and cultural self-reliance' (Harrison, 1988: 154). Initially, in the
years following World War II, the idea of development was conceived nar-
rowly as economic growth, and social and cultural factors were only recog-
nised to the extent they facilitated growth (Brohman, 1996b; Malecki, 1997).
Development later expanded to incorporate social, moral, ethical and envi-
ronmental considerations as it dealt with human betterment and fulfilment
through the expansion of choice (Goldsworthy, 1988; Ingham, 1993). Eight
years after addressing development in terms of poverty, unemployment and
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