Most people in the South (developing countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia) know something about development. This is partly because a large number of governments of developing countries have adopted some kind of development strategy, and also because many of these countries receive ‘development assistance’ from the rich industrialised countries of the North — usually in the form of funds channelled to projects. Where there are governments with a strong development philosophy (such as in the case of South Africa), the public service is necessarily drawn into the government's development discourse.

The concern for development is a response to the continuing situation of mass poverty and gross inequality in today's world. By identifying with the cause of the poor and vulnerable, and aiming to improve their situation, many people in the development field join hands with a great moral tradition, the ‘perennial philosophy’ found across most cultures which supports respect and care for the poor. People working in the development field also join with more recent approaches to the poor and marginalised, such as radical nationalism, socialism, and liberation theology. Development has been defined as ‘good change’ in society (Chambers 1997: xiv). It can be seen as constructive work aimed at improving human welfare. By espousing development, people take an ethical approach to public affairs. In the midst of a world of crime, market speculation, and cynical officials waiting for their pensions, development is often a noble cause.

As we progress further into the third millennium (of the Christian calendar), there is the potential for real development in the countries of the South and among the world's one billion very poor people. At the same time, the development that has occurred over the past half-century has often been deeply flawed. The people who will talk about, plan, and carry out development in the coming decades will be deeply influenced by the existing ideas and practices of today. Yet, the actions of all those trying to carry out development have not even remotely begun to solve the world's development problems.