Development under Siege

Sudhir Sen The lamentation over 'development under siege' which fills the latest report of the Committee for Development Planning of the United Nations cannot but evoke mixed feelings. The economic woes to which the report draws attention are the outcome of a much deeper-rooted malaise, namely: for a generation or more development economics itself has been under siege THE veteran AFL-CTO president George Meanyt who was well known for his sharp tongue and robust common sense, once made a biting remark that comes haunting across the years: "Economics is the only profession in which it is possible to achieve great eminence without ever being right". The Committee for Development Planning of the United Nations which consists of 24 eminent economists handpicked by the secretary- general from as many countries, has delivered a resounding proof of the melancholy truth embodied in George Meany's unflattering words.