Paper short abstract:

The current debate about ‘developmentalism’ shows that the world is undergoing an imprecise phase about what to do next. Development cannot be anymore associated to growth. Those who criticize this system are changing behavior and considering new principles, envisaging a different globalization.

Paper long abstract:

The current debate about 'developmentalism' shows that the world is undergoing an imprecise phase about what to do next, because it seems that even in the richest contexts things are somehow worsening, and many people start thinking that the consumerism and free market are not as good as it seemed.

We see the mainstream institutions such as World Bank and IMF announcing that it is good to continue with economic growth and free market policies in poor countries, especially in Africa, while the number of poor rises. It seems that something is wrong. For those reasons, departing from insights of a research carried out among an INGO development project in a rural community in Mozambique, this paper discusses the idea that development cannot be anymore associated to growth. I will illustrate that more and more people and institutions are wondering how to replace capitalism because they are realizing that this infinite growth seems to be unsustainable: new technologies create new needs and problems; the economic growth and consumerism do not necessarily mean more happiness nor social development. As well, the world is facing energetic and environmental crisis. As a result, those who are criticizing this system are changing behavior and considering new principles. Most of them are disappointed with the unbalanced order and are pushing the raise of new forms of development, envisaging a different kind of globalization, preferably made through solidarity and cooperation, instead of competition, exclusion, and inequality, in a quest for a true democracy.