LUCIAN PYE’S CONCEPT OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

Meaning of Development

Before understanding the Political Development, it is important to know about Development. Development is the process in which any person, institutions, organizations, states etc. becoming bigger in status, stronger and better.

 

Political Development

The term Political Development mostly refers for the growth and development of Third World countries political system. Many times, it refers for the growth of modernization in these countries.

Lucian Pye should be regarded as the leading light of the earlier batch of writers who analyses the concept of development in depth and give impression on the entire literature of political development.

Lucian Pye presents the concept of Political Development in his book ‘Aspects of Political Development’ in 1966. Before give his own interpretation on Political Development he accepts and reject some definitions of Political Development which mention following:

Political Development

1   Political Development as the Political Prerequisite of Economic Development

Some thinkers mostly economist like Paul A. Baran, Norman S, Buchanan, Howard S. Ellis, Benjamin Higgins, Albert O. Hirschman and Barbara Ward connect Political Development with Economic Development. They believed that which countries are economically developed they become automatically politically developed. But Lucian Pye reject this definition on the ground that this could be only aspect of development. These thinkers ignore all other development to the sake of economic development.

2.    Political Development as the Politics typical of Industrial Societies

Some social theorist like W. W. Rostow try to identify the process of political development with the pace of industrialization. Which countries have good command in industries and most of the economy depend on industries they would be reach in full development. But Pye also reject this definition on the same ground that they ignore all other factor which can be responsible for development.

3.    Political Development as the Operation of Nation-State

The concept of Nation-State came into existence with the feeling of nationalism. Some theorist like K. H. Silvert, Edward A shils and William McCord believe in that if any state has the feeling of nationalism they would be developed easily. They focused mostly on modern nation states which have good feeling of nationalism with the context of social and political institutions. Rejecting this view Pye says that nationalism is only a necessary but far from being a sufficient condition to ensure political development. According to him nation building would be one of the one aspect for political development but not the nation state.

4.    Political Development as Political Modernization

Many social theorists like James S Coleman, Karl Deutsch and S. M. Lipset have laid stress on the point that political development means a study of the developed western and modern countries. Pye reject this point of view. He believed that there is difference between modern and western. Most of thinkers who believe in this point make no difference between them. They believe that modern and western is same thing. Pye also added that which countries are underdeveloped they have their own historical tradition which they can’t give up on the sake of modernization or western culture.

5.    Political Development as Administrative and Legal Development

Many theorists like Max Weber, Talcott Parsons, A.M. Henderson and Joseph la Palombara linked political development with the legal and administrative order of a community. According to them effective bureaucracy is essential for the process of development. Pye finds some weaknesses in this viewpoint also. It quite possible that if bureaucracy is over stressed it can create imbalances in the policy that may decay political development.

6.    Political Development as the Building of Democracy

Most of the thinkers believe that Democracy is best form of government. So, Joseph La Palombara and J. Ronald Pennock are of the view that political development is the building of democracy. Pye rejects this view on the ground that democracy is different concept than development. Many countries in this world which have no democratic form of government. They also have some plan for political development.

7.    Political Development as Stability or Orderly Change

Some social theorists like Karl Deutsch and F. W. Riggs have laid stress on the point that stability is legitimately linked with the concept of development. Pye reject this view and says that these thinkers didn’t mention that how much order or stability is necessary for development. It is essential to have stability for political development but it is not only they way to get political development.

8.    Political Development as Mobilization and Participation

Some thinkers like Clifford Geertz, Rupert Emerson, Bert F Hosclitz and Eisenstadt stressed out on that most of the participation of people will give the way to political development. They believe that extension of franchise and participation in decision making process make huge difference. But Pye reject this point of view on the basis that mass manipulation in politics could give disastrous results. It could be converted into emotionalism or corrupting demagoguery.

9.    Political Development as Mobilization and Power

Some social theorists like James S Coleman, G A Almond and Talcott Parsons have taken the view that the concept of Political Development can be evaluated in terms of the level or degree of absolute power which the system is able to mobilize.

10.     Political Development as one Aspect of a Multi-Dimensional Process of Social Change

There are some theorists like Max F Milikan, Donald L M Blackmer and Daniel Lerner who believe that it is unnecessary to define political development with one or two developments of states. we can’t isolate any development to define it. It is a multi-dimensional process of social change in which no segment or dimension of the society can lag behind. Pye accept and appreciates this view because in it all forms of development are concluded which is important to define political development.

11.       Political Development as a Sense of National Respect in International Affairs

Some writers like James S Coleman and Myron Weiner define political development as a sense of national respect and dignity of any nation state in international affairs. Pye didn’t say anything about this definition. He either accept it or ignore this point of view.

After accepting and rejecting all these definitions Lucian Pye give their own definition about political development. He mentions three characteristics of political development which can define this concept.

·       Equality

It is important to have mass participation and political activities in political development. Participation should be in any form like democratic or totalitarian mobilization but the important thing is there should be active citizens. It also means that law should be equal for all. There should be no differentiation between citizens. All citizens should have right to participation without discrimination.

·       Differentiation

It simply means that specialization of structure. The organizations or offices should have their distinct and limited functions and there should be proper division of labors according to their skills.

·       Capacity

It refers to the capacity of political system. How government perform and which type of output they given etc. involve in this. It is related to rationality in administration and secular orientation towards policy.

Pye also mention that sometimes these three characteristics clash with each other like to secure equality sometimes capacity and differentiation would suffer or vise versa. So it is important to balance all these characteristics.