Introduction
In 1966, Herbert Blumer bewailed the difficulty of defining social development. In fact, he ended his classic article on “The Meaning of Social Development” with the statement that the “idea of social development is vague and confused”. He argued that societies differ in their goals and in the means and standards in attaining them. In spite of this difficulty, Stewart Macpherson (1989: 70) later averred that a generic definition can still be given of social development. According to him, social development is the enhancement of well-being and the progressive enrichment of the quality of people’s lives. Likewise, the United Nations Center for Regional Development (UNCRD) attempted to define “social” to make sure that it is not confused with other types of development activities. The term “social” generally suggests the nonmaterial or less economic factors which contribute to the overall quality of life, and in particular those aspects which are more concerned with people rather than with material things. Thus, no matter what paths or visions societies tread, those which contribute to the betterment of people’s conditions can be considered as a component of social development.
Definition
Social development is a process which results in the transformation of social structures in a manner which improves the capacity of the society to fulfill its aspirations. Society develops by consciousness and social consciousness develops by organization. The process that is subconscious in the society emerges as conscious knowledge in pioneering individuals.
Development is a process, not a programme. Its power issues more from its subtle aspects than from material objects. Not all social change constitutes development. It consists of four well-marked stages -- survival, growth, development and evolution, each of which contains the other three within it. The quantitative expansion of existing activities generates growth or horizontal expansion. Development implies a qualitative change in the way the society carries out its activities, such as through more progressive attitudes and behavior by the population, the adoption of more effective social organizations or more advanced technology which may have been developed elsewhere. The term evolution refers to the original formulation and adoption of qualitative and structural advances in the form of new social attitudes, values, behaviors, or organizations. While the term is usually applied to changes that are beneficial to society, it may result in negative side-effects or consequences that undermine or eliminate existing ways of life that are considered positive.
Social Change and Development
According to Lande(1986), social change refers to the “significant alterations in social relationships & cultural ideas”. It is assured that social and cultural factors are inseparable inasmuch as they are interrelated.
Carolina Pascual says: “The shift from rural to urban life; from agricultural to industrial company; the introduction of democratic patterns and their focus on individual freedom and initiative; keener competition for economic survival is that both parents are focused to work; greater opportunities for personal and professional enhancements; increased participation of women in activities outside the house – all of these have left their marks on the Filipinos”. All of the foregoing factors are closely associated with a sociological term called social change.
Theories of Social Change
1. The Evolutionary Theory
- Implies that societies evolved from the simple and primitive to the more complex and advanced form. Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher and revolutionary theorist believed that, as society grows, the functions of its members become more specialized and better coordinated into the bigger system.
2. The Conflict Theory
- Suggests that as societies progress, oppressed groups struggle to improve this lot. Karl Marx, a German thinker and political analyst, believed in the conflict theory and predicted the revolt of the masses under the capitalist economic system. He saw the upcoming conflict as a stage of development and that human society is evolving toward a more perfect state in w/c everyone would be equal and where the capitalist economic system would be overthrown.
3. The Cyclical Theory
- Oswald Spengler (1918), a pessimistic cyclical theorist, believes that decay is inevitable. This theory suggests that every society is born, matures, decays and eventually dies. His theory hinges on the political experience of the Roman Empire that uses the crest of power and then, gradually collapsed. Spengler contended that, in a certain period of time that social change may take the form of progress or of decay, but no society lives forever.
4. The Structural Functionalism Theory
- Believe that society is a balanced system of institution. Talcott Parsons, an American Sociologist, noted that in the Structural Functionalist Theory, society is composed of various parts, each of which has its complementary functions. It views that when events outside or inside the society disrupt the equilibrium; social institutions readily make some adjustments to restore stability.
3 Factors that Influence Social Change
1. Social
2. Economic
3. Political
The term development is sociologically equated with social change. Development is only those changes which are seen desirable. It is viewed as an important improvement in the quality of life of people, whether the dimension is economic, political or social. Sociologists classify different countries based on the level of development. Development is a continuous change. It is in this context that they came up with certain acronyms like DC (developed countries) and LDCs (least developed countries).
Sources of Social Change
1. Physical Environment (e.g. Labor, flood etc.)
2. Population – changes in relation to size, density and composition
3. Science and Technology
4. Social Inequality
5. Youth
Benefits of Technological Change
1. Increased production of goods and services;
2. Reduced the amount of labor needed to produce goods and services;
3. Gives people high standard of living and made jobs easier
Contributions of Technology
1. Internet
2. Change in the taste of music
3. Cellphones
Human Side Effects of Technology
1. Environmental Pollution
2. Depletion of Resources
3. Unemployment
4. Turns a child into a space cadet (computer games)
Processes that causes Social Change
1. Discovery
- A shared human experience of an element of reality which already exists. Discoveries become a factor in social change when new knowledge is put to new uses.
2. Invention
- A new combination or a new use of existing knowledge.
3. Diffusion
- The spread of culture traits from group to group.
- Takes place whenever societies come into contact.
(Two) 2 Modes of Social Development
Two broad periods characterize the management of social development in postwar Philippines. The first period spans from 1946 to 1991 of the centralist/sectoral period and the second, from 1991 onwards, the devolution period.
CENTRALIST/SECTORAL MODE
Management of Social Development
Management of development in a sectoral, centralist mode was characterized by the formulation of development policies and plans by the President and his cabinet members. They were provided with technical support by the national planning body. Implementation was undertaken by the sectoral departments.
Three Phases of Centralist Structure
1. First Phase (Lack of Unity) – spans the postwar period until 1972 when management lacked a unified framework as a basis for sectoral departments to interface in planning and for establishing machinery for the implementation of local social development.
2. Second Phase (Towards a Unified Effort in Management) – covers the years 1972 until 1985. A comprehensive set of policies to unify the general management of development activities from the national to the regional levels was initiated with the formulation of the Integrated Reorganization Plan (IRP) of 1972.
3. Third Phase (Forging NGO Interface) – continues on with the salient provisions of the IRP. It was in this period that the interfacing of nongovernmental organizations in the planning process was formalized.
The Role of Social Development in Overall Development during the Period
The emphases given to social development in the overall thrust of the country maybe summarized into four (4) phases;
1. First Phase – views social development merely as supplementary to economic development. This was apparent until 1957.
Components of Social Development
· Provision of social services
o Constituted by education and public health
· Provision of social welfare
o More reactive in nature as the service was extended to those who are already beset with problems. The clients targeted were the “destitute, the unfortunate victims of calamities and dissidence, and others not in position to take care of themselves or be taken care of by relatives and friends.
2. Second Phase – characterized by the view of equal and interrelated role of social and economic development to achieve the goals of development.
· President Carlos P. Garcia’s Term
o Aimed to promote social justice and general welfare together with the economic goal of achieving a balanced economy by providing impetus to both agriculture and industry.
· President Diosdado Macapagal’s Term
o Continued President Garcia’s platform.
o Alleviate the common man’s plight and to restore economic stability.
o Address the plague of unemployment and the need to create conducive and adequate incomes for the people.
3. Third Phase – may be considered as retrogression as only lip service was given to social development. This characterized the Marcos years.
a. Ushered a grandiose design for social development from1978 – 2000 in anticipation perhaps of his long term vision to remain in office.
b. His goal demonstrated priority concern for social development. He declared that the underlying current and the heart of the plan was the concern for social justice.
c. Marcos’ design was direct and purposeful as it focused of the poorest of the poor by focusing on:
i. Health – Medicare was introduced
ii. Nutrition – National Nutrition Council was formed in 1974
iii. Population - POPCOM was created in February 1969
iv. Education – upgrading quality education
v. Housing – became a national priority program. Created the Ministry of Human Settlements.
vi. Social Welfare – shifting of focus from affected individuals to organized group.
4. Fourth Phase – demonstrates the resurgence of social development effort and the initiatives to incorporate the community-based approach as a strategy. This was the dominant view from 1986 until the present.
a. Eradication of poverty and the attainment of a better life for each and every Filipino in an equitable and just society (NEDA 1986).
b. Institutionalizing and participation of non-governmental Organization in local governance.
Administration of Social Development under Devolution
- Administrative Context
- Implementation of the 1991 Local Government Code. It drastically transforms the administration of social development of the Philippines. It signals the transfer of vast power to the local government.
- Thrust
- Attaining the quality of life as an ultimate goal of development efforts.
- Two chief strategies
i. Empowerment
ii. International Competiveness
Strategies and Approaches
- To ensure the realization of the area-based approach development, the Ramos’ administration has adopted the five emerging strategies and concerns:
o Minimum Basic Needs(MBN) approach
§ Survival needs (Health,nutrition,water etc)
§ Protection from physical harm
§ Enabling Needs (Education, livelihood etc)
o Focused targeting
o Community-Based Information System
o Community-based Approach
o Capability Building
Conclusion
On the whole, the most difficult years in forging social development was experienced in the last decade of the Marcos administration. Many indicators for social development either declined or improved at a very slow pace. These measures were crude death rate, infant mortality rate, nutrition, family planning, housing and unemployment rate.
The Aquino administration marshaled its efforts to improve on these conditions. Labor management substantially improved during this administration as indicated by the drop in the number of strikes, increase in the number of unions and a decline in the percentage of workers going abroad. Despite these efforts, unemployment increased perhaps because the opportunities for employment had not been sufficiently generated despite a big investment for the economic sector in previous years. Further, the Aquino administration bogged down in the area of population control as its policy on family planning was perceived as one of ambiguity.
In spite of the consistent concern for the poor in post war development efforts, poverty has remained a major problem. The poverty situation declined minimally from 44.2 percent in 1985 to 40.2 percent in 1988. A slight increase was witnessed in 1991 with poverty incidence of 40.7 percent.
References:
Bautista, Victoria A. - A Reader in Philippine Social Development Administration
Zulueta, Francis M. – Sociology (focus on the Philippines) 2005
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6235213/Social_development
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