Question

Which of the following statements are correct?
[i] Gustavo Esteva argues that the 1949 address of the US President Harry S. Truman marks the opening of the era of development.
[ii] According to Escobar, ‘development can best be described as an apparatus that links forms of knowledge about the Third World with the deployment of forms of power and intervention, resulting in the mapping and production of Third World societies’.

• A. [i] only
• B. [ii] only
• C. Both [i] and [ii]
• D. Neither [i] nor [ii]

Hint:

Both Gustavo Esteva and Arturo Escobar critique the traditional Western concept of development, arguing that it is a form of power and intervention that has historically been imposed on the Third World.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding Gustavo Esteva’s argument.
Gustavo Esteva is a prominent scholar in post-development theory. He critiques the concept of development and refers to Truman's 1949 speech as marking the beginning of the “development” era, where the Third World was positioned as needing to be developed by the West.

Step 2: Analyzing Escobar’s perspective on development.
Escobar’s work critiques the traditional understanding of development, viewing it as an apparatus through which power is exerted over the Third World. He emphasizes that development has a dual role: not only improving living standards but also shaping and mapping the Third World in a way that serves Western interests.

Step 3: Conclusion.
Both statements [i] and [ii] are correct as they accurately represent Esteva’s and Escobar’s views on development.