A Proposal of Forming Tanzania Social Forum (2)
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Tanzania Social Forum - Another Tanzania is Possible - How to do
it?
Dear Colleagues
The idea that "Another Tanzania is possible" is easy to embrace,
but the big question is "How to do it?"
The proposal to form a Tanzania Social Forum may or may not be a
move forward. The problem with most dialog about "development"
is that it is more about talk than do. It is the do that is go-
ing to make a difference.
The failure of development over the past forty years is largely
because the basic economics have been wrong. During this time
the NORTH has doubled its wealth every ten years and the SOUTH
has almost everywhere become a lot poorer. Over this period of
forty years technology has progressed in a most amazing way, but
government, governance and the drivers of development in and for
the SOUTH are essentially out of the loop of productivity im-
provement that technology can make possible.
Just imagine if all the money that has been disbursed over the
past forty years in the name of development had resulted in pro-
ductivity improvement... by now development would have been a
success. But instead it has been used in programs and projects
that "value destroyed"... converting good resources into not
very much of tangible outcome.
Another outcome is possible. But it requires doing not talking,
and it requires resources to be used where the outcome is going
to be valuable. Generalities are dangerous, but it seems that
resources should be put into work that local communities see as
being important, and doing what local people think will improve
their quality of life. The experts need to take note of what
people think will improve local socio-economic conditions and
try to help with some ideas about how these things can be done
in the most effective way.
If the TSF is a facilitator of this, it has a valuable role to
play. If it is merely a place to talk, then its value seems a
little questionable.
I would be interested in how others see this.
Peter Burgess
in New York
Tel: +1-212-772-6918
mailto:peterb@afrifund.com
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