Development Against Democracy - New Edition Manipulating Political Change in the Third World

This new, updated edition of the influential Development Against Democracy is a critical guide to postwar studies of modernisation and development. In the mid-twentieth century, models of development studies were products of postwar American policy. They focused on newly independent states in the Global South, aiming to assure their pro-Western orientation by promoting economic growth, political reform and liberal democracy. However, this prevented real democracy and radical change. Today, projects of democracy have evolved in a radically different political environment that seems to have little in common with the postwar period. Development Against Democracy, however, testifies to a revealing continuity in foreign policy, including in justifications of 'humanitarian intervention' that echo those of counterinsurgency decades earlier in Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Irene L. Gendzier argues that the fundamental ideas on which theories of modernisation and development rest have been resurrected in contemporary policy and its theories, representing the continuity of postwar US foreign policy in a world permanently altered by globalisation and its multiple discontents, the proliferation of 'failed states,' the unprecedented exodus of refugees, and Washington's declaration of a permanent war against terrorism. Today, US policies towards newly independent states striving for democracy have evolved in a radically different political environment with seemingly little in common with the post-WWII period. Development Against Democracy , however, reveals a surprising continuity in US foreign policy, including in justifications of humanitarian intervention that echo those of counterinsurgency decades earlier in Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Irene L. Gendzier argues that the fundamental ideas on which theories of modernization and development rest have been resurrected in contemporary policy and its theories. Our world has been permanently altered by globalization, the proliferation of so-called failed states, the unprecedented exodus of refugees, and Washingtons permanent war against terrorism. One of the most controversial and groundbreaking books of development studies and US foreign policy, the new updated edition of Development Against Democracy is a critical guide to postwar studies of modernization and development. "This new, updated edition of the influential Development Against Democracy is a critical guide to postwar studies of modernization and development. In the mid-twentieth century, models of development studies were products of postwar American policy. They focused on newly independent states in the Global South, aiming to assure their pro-Western orientation by claiming to promote economic growth and democracy, while masking U.S. intervention to block radical change. Irene L. Gendzier argues that the fundamental ideas on which theories of modernization and development rest have been resurrected in contemporary policy and its theories, representing the continuity of postwar U.S. foreign policy and its claims of American exceptionalism in a world permanently altered by globalization and its multiple discontents, the proliferation of 'failed states, ' the unprecedented exodus of refugees, and Washington's declaration of a permanent 'war against terrorism'."-- Provided by publisher "This new, updated edition of the influential Development Against Democracy is a critical guide to postwar studies of modernization and development. In the mid-twentieth century, models of development studies were products of postwar American policy. They focused on newly independent states in the Global South, aiming to assure their pro-Western orientation by claiming to promote economic growth and democracy, while masking U.S. intervention to block radical change. Irene L. Gendzier argues that the fundamental ideas on which theories of modernization and development rest have been resurrected in contemporary policy and its theories, representing the continuity of postwar U.S. foreign policy and its claims of American exceptionalism in a world permanently altered by globalization and its multiple discontents, the proliferation of 'failed states,' the unprecedented exodus of refugees, and Washington's declaration of a permanent 'war against terrorism'."-- Résumé de l'éditeur "This new, updated edition of the influential Development Against Democracy is a critical guide to postwar studies of modernization and development. In the mid-twentieth century, models of development studies were products of postwar American policy. They focused on newly independent states in the Global South, aiming to assure their pro-Western orientation by claiming to promote economic growth and democracy, while masking U.S. intervention to block radical change. Irene L. Gendzier argues that the fundamental ideas on which theories of modernization and development rest have been resurrected in contemporary policy and its theories, representing the continuity of postwar U.S. foreign policy and its claims of American exceptionalism in a world permanently altered by globalization and its multiple discontents, the proliferation of "failed state," the unprecedented exodus of refugees, and Washington's declaration of a permanent "war against terrorism". " --back cover "This new, updated edition of the influential Development Against Democracy is a critical guide to postwar studies of modernization and development. In the mid-twentieth century, models of development studies were products of postwar American policy. They focused on newly independent states in the Global South, aiming to assure their pro-Western orientation by claiming to promote economic growth and democracy, while masking U.S. intervention to block radical change. Irene L. Gendzier argues that the fundamental ideas on which theories of modernization and development rest have been resurrected in contemporary policy and its theories, representing the continuity of postwar U.S. foreign policy and its claims of American exceptionalism in a world permanently altered by globalization and its multiple discontents, the proliferation of "failed state," the unprecedented exodus of refugess, and Washington's declaration of a permanent "war against terrorism". " --back cover A classic, radical study of development via US foreign policy from the post-war period