Late-development syndrome

Ram Harijan is GeneRally credited with identifying the Late-Development Syndrome (LDS) as an empirically testable psychosomatic condition to which residents of the developing world are particularly prone.

Earlier research findings

That national late-development has an individual psychological dimension is not a new idea. Earlier developmental researchers had already identified a number of 'late-developmental effects' which, in their views, impeded rapid economic development. The major ones are:

  • Alienation and negativism towards all forms of government arising from a lack of faith in one's own government.
  • Dependency on outsiders to sort out one's problems arising from a diminution of self-worth.
  • Attraction to paper qualification arising from a diminished confidence in one's own ability to do things without the backing of supporting papers.
  • Outward brain-drain of skilled and qualified people arising from a lack of belief in one's own country's ability to utilize one's talents and skills.

Harijan's contribution

What is new AbOUT Harijan's thesis is that he identified, by combining these various 'developmental effects' under one umbrella, The Primary symptoms which produced these diverse secondary late-development effects. These primary symptoms, which together formed the core of Harijan's LDS, are:

  • A diminution of self-worth.
  • Diminished confidence in one's own ability to do things without the backing of supporting paper qualifications.
  • General lack of faith in one's own government to improve things.
  • Lack of belief in one's own country's ability to utilize one's skills and talents.

Causes

The LDS is caused, according to Harijan, by one or more of the following factors:

  • A deprived and disadvantaged environment of illiteracy, poor healthcare and inadequate communications.
  • A sense of having been late, 'missing the bus' of development and of being left behind.
  • A recent history of foreign conquests, occupations and colonialism which produce a fear of foreigners and a closed mind to foreign IDeaS.

Implications

Just as children born after difficult pregnancies have a greater propensity to suffer from developmental disorders, people in disadvantaged and deprived environments have a greater propensity to develop the LDS. But, to state that national late-development has a propensity to produce individuals with the LDS is not to say that every individual in every late-developing country has LDS or that no individual in developed countries has LDS. All people in late-developing countries are not deprived or disadvantaged. Nor are developed countries free of pockets of deprivation and disadvantages. What is true is that a greater proportion of people in late-developing countries live in relative and absolute deprivation compared to developed countries and therefore a greater proportion of people in developing countries are prone to LDS than are in developed countries. Those who are engaged in combating the syndrome need to address that reality.

References

  • Harijan, Ram C. 1992: Targeted input of computers to combat the late-development syndrome: An Indian Case-study, Reading University
  • Inkles, M & Smith, D 1974: Becoming Modern, Heinaman, London
  • Mendes, T 1974: From Aid to Recolonisation, Lessons of a failure Harrap, London
  • Dore, R 1976: The Diploma Disease - Education, Qualification and Development Allen and Unwin, London
  • Portes, A 1976: Modernization for Emigration in Journal of Inter-American studies and world affairs 18(4) p. 395-422

Further reading

  • Lerner,D. 1965: Comparative analysis of progressive modernisation in Rokkan, S. ed.1968 Comparative research across cultures and nations Houton, The Hague
  • Fordham, P. ed. 1980: Participation, Learning and Change Commonwealth Secretariat, London
  • Goulet, D. 1971: Development or Liberation in Instructional Development Review vol.13 No.3