THE MYTH OF CATCHING-UP DEVELOPMENT

Vivienne Elanta 12021131

CRITICAL THINKING ESSAY

ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

Aidan Davison

Maria Mies begins by explaining that the goal of the “Catching-up Development Model”, is “for the undeveloped, non-industrial, and poor countries of the world to catch up with and share in the affluent good life of those northern societies”(p416). She strongly believes that such a model is a myth. She says that “Catching-up Development” reinforces oppression and division and creates serious ecological costs, effecting both impoverished and affluent nations. She further points out, that the environment, women and future generations suffer most under such a model of development.

Maria Mies supports her argument by saying that, it is neither possible nor desirable for undeveloped countries to catch up with affluent societies. Firstly, as soon as the ultimate in development has been attained, “the industrial centres themselves have already ‘progressed’ to a yet more ‘modern’ stage of development”(p418). Secondly, she points out, “that the six percent of the world population who live in the USA annually consume 30 percent of all the fossil energy produced”(p418). She says, “then, obviously, it is impossible for the rest of the world’s population, of which about 80 percent live in the poor countries of the South, to consume energy on the same scale”(p418). She suggests that if catching-up was possible, it would take 500 years provided we had access to unlimited resources and “abandoned the model of permanent economic growth,”(p418).

She further argues that this model perpetuates the current inequalities between a minority elite and an impoverished majority, who are totally dependant on such an exploitative economic system, because they believe that “catching- up” will offer a good life, equal to that of their affluent oppressors. What the “poor” do not take into account is that this “good life” of the “elite” is created by their labour and resources exploited for the benefit of the elite.

Maria Mies says that not only the poor are trapped in the myth of “catching-up” but women in the developed world are entranced also. They work hard to catch up to have equal status with men. She points out that, “For women living in the industrialised countries catching-up development meant and continues to mean the hope that the patriarchal man-woman relationship will be abolished by a policy of equal right for women”(421). The reality is that women are still being marginalised. “Women’s household labour is defined as non-productive or as non-work and hence not renumerated”(418), therefore their domestic reproductive work being omitted from the GNP calculations. The “Catching-up Development” has also competitively pitted poorer women against women in the more affluent societies in the north by paying the poor workers far less then workers in similar jobs in the north.

Maria Mies’s critique gives the reader an excellent analysis of the current unsustainable and unjust model of the “Catching-up Development”. Her arguments are well grounded, because as a thinking woman living in an affluent society I too can see the effects that such a model has on women, the environment and ultimately future generations.

I cannot see any weaknesses in her argument. The weakness appears to be totally with the Catching-up Development Model.

In conclusion, Maria Mies presents the reader with a logical argument, showing us that this model of “Catching-up Development” indeed is a myth, for there seems no evidence of achieving the desired goal. It is exploitative and oppressive, except for those benefiting, with white males benefiting disproportionately. Ultimately only an egalitarian society can really offer us a “good life”. This will only be achieved when wealthy individuals or nations abandon affluence; or when the undeveloped nations as well as individuals realise that striving to catch up is like attempting to catch up to or jump over ones own shadow.

REFERENCE:

Mies, Maria (1999) ‘The Myth of Catching-up Development’ from Desjardins, J. (Ed), Environmental Ethics, London, U.K.: Mayfield, pp.416-423