Md. Shairul Mashreque and Dr. M. Abul Kashem Mozumder :
It is obvious that policy makers and planners have to resort to such strategies that ‘recognize the strength and weakness of social formation.’ This has led to a re-conceptualisation of development process assuming a dichotomy between ‘have’ and ‘have-nots’. In fact the dynamic function of this process contributes to the ‘development of underdevelopment’. For this reason imperfections have crept into the distribution profile to the detriment of the interests of the common masses. Policy makers are concerned about removing imperfections without attempting to dismantle the process. Little policy goals may be achieved as the process is deeply ingrained in a network of relationship placing the ordinary masses in the mode of production and unequal market situation with lopsided distribution and exchange.
Pre-existing policies or new policy moves stemming from conventional theoretical perspectives are not adequate to remove obstacles in the path of development. For, they are based on imported concepts. Such moves may be countered by an alternative path of policy making relevant to society and economy as they operate in everyday community life. Much of the explanation of socio-economic dimension cannot bypass the dimension of the state. In the ultimate analysis state is the supreme community organization regulating the course of policy intervention with a set of encapsulating structures and sub-structures.This under current societal process operates to marginalise the ‘have-nots’ pushing them into perennial subjugation. Material conditions of life revolving around production relations generate unfavorable economic situation on the part of the ordinary masses. In elite mass dichotomy the elite as the landlords, industrialists, traders and entrepreneurs is the central stage of policy making. The masses in center periphery cycle ‘remain in the periphery.’
At the community level rural, urban and national, center periphery circle determines transactional aspect of super ordination and subordination. The mariginalised and the poor trapped by exploitation in many fold transactions are in ‘fragile locus’. In rural areas land is the principal source of economic activities. Agriculture including the subsidiary occupation constitutes the mainstreams of economic life. Tenural arrangement, fragmentation and subdivision of holdings, mass ignorance about land tax and land registration account much for the deprivation of the poor class; they are losing land. Many forms of trickery and fraudulence, lending system, share cropping and mortgaging are instruments of economic exploitation.
Opportunities for investment in non-traditional areas of economy have appeared thanks to capitalistic penetration in rural and per-urban communities. With the change of socio- economic scenario the upstarts and emerging tycoons with lumpen character are beginning to reign supreme in both rural and metropolitan communities. Intermediary roles played by rising brokers and emerging social Brahmins having proximity to policy communities at the national level trigger ‘vicious deprivation trap’.
Robert Chamber (1983) has depicted integrated poverty that includes the indices like poverty, physical weakness, isolation, vulnerability and powerlessness (see fig 1). The fig 1 reflects economic situation in developing countries. Mentionaly the total civilian labor forces engaged in agriculture, industry and tertiary sectors have to face ‘integral’ economic problems. The economic base of productive force continues to be weak and fragile.
Abysmal poverty is thus a policy issue in developing countries. Policy makers have taken up this issue. Nevertheless, it is obligatory on them to maintain the exact numerical records and qualitative data about poverty situation. Distressingly, the invisible poor ‘hidden at the fringe of habitats’ are very often remain as ‘the missing poor’. They are easily missed out in surveys and census (Khan 1996:3). The crisis of poverty is summarized by Khan (1996):
Cyclical instability of food supplies, high population density and low rates of growth of agricultural output postulating an inverse association between the rate of demographic increase and the growth of agricultural production, increase in relative inequality due to inappropriate pattern of growth, structural predisposition in many countries in favor of inmiserizing growth” and finally laziness, superstition and cultural norms of some people. In this context blocks of empirical knowledge coupled with ‘concrete experience’ about societal dynamics and operative economy provide background information for meaningful policy analysis. Any objective research epitomizing the socio-economic conditions of the people needs to be integrated into the ‘views from the below’-knowledge of those living in the corner of misfortune.
Policy intervention towards poverty alleviation may galvanize potential productive forces with the concept of empowerment. Even then it comes in conflict with the concept of sustainability, as such intervention becomes a mark of paternalism with ubiquitous dependence relationship.
Now the government hints reduction of poverty under Sustainable development goals (SDG). Yet enhancement of level of living increasing amenities of the poor and fixed income groups continues to remain a mere rhetoric innless resources are evenly allocated to combat deprivation trap. We advocate growth. But must ensure equity for economically empowering the ordinary masses. Trades do not contribute to the deprivation nexus. What causes it is rampant corruption. The newly elecyed government, as our PM proclaims, has adopted a policy of zero tolerance against corruption that tends to eat into the vitals of economic institutions including banks. The state should encourage development of microfinance. Macro-finance ought to be carefully handled with rigorous financial discipline. We would like to see any loan default. In micro credit sector loan repayment is almost hundred percent.
(Md. Shairul Mashreque, retired professor, Chittagong University and Dr. M. Abul Kashem Mozumder, Pro-VC, BUP).
