The Role of Community in the Development Process, Part 1
Exploring the framework for a “Balanced Development” model
Ramses Rashidi
©2008 Center for Balanced Development (www.cbdus.org)
In the last series of articles we looked at the role of individuals in the
development process and its impact on society. Here, we are going to take a look
at the role of the community in the global development trends. In this regard,
we will examine the impact of the family, friends, neighbors and nations as
components of the greater community.
The Family
The most basic unit of society is the family. The popular trends in the family
are reflected in the community and within the development process. Harmony in
the family leads to social balance within the larger society, while conflict
breaks the foundation of society. In fact, the crumbling of the social values
and morality can be attributed directly to the universal phenomenon of decay in
the family structure. Therefore, in addressing social ills, we need to
simultaneously address and foster family unity. This requires fundamental
changes in some of our assumptions, and our perspectives on the very institution
of marriage. A man and a woman committed to marriage are like the two wings of a
bird. Flight is impossible with only one wing.
It seems like in the past, when life was not so hectic and there was more
respect for human and social values, the family was a much more stable and
unified entity. Over-emphasis on individualism and materialism has been placing
tremendous pressure on the family. Long hours at work, commuting on the heavily
congested roads of most major cities where higher paying jobs are located, and
the politics and pressures of the work place have gradually taken their toll on
the individual. After a long day and becoming totally stressed out, we take
refuge at home from the impersonal and chaotic competitive world in search of
intimacy, love and being able to spend time with our family. Lack of compassion
and not understanding the prevailing social conditions can put unnecessary
strain on family relations and often lead to separation in search of peace and
composure. Divorce and family break-ups have become common elements of the
social landscape in modern countries. The number of single-parent households is
on the rise. Based on the latest reports, there are more than 20 million kids in
the US that live with one parent. Children in broken homes are more likely to
become psychologically scarred and emotionally injured for life.
The family as a economic unit is also diminishing in the developed counties and
some fast-growing economies. Except in certain agriculture endeavors and some
very large family-run businesses, for the most part in today’s world, no longer
do we see the family functioning as an economic unit. The nuclear family is the
popular structure of modern developed countries. In this model, everyone is in
search of privacy and comfort. We put tremendous amounts of resources in a
variety of products and services that focus on making the individual feel good
and escape from the harsh realities of life. Children often learn early on that
“self” is at the center of it all. Our youth usually can’t wait to get their own
private place, and the elderly are relegated to living alone or in a nursing
home. However, in many poor countries the idea of the extended family, meaning
that grandparents and relatives all living together, is still popular. The rate
of divorce in these underdeveloped regions is usually much lower than developed
countries. Obviously, we are not promoting anti-development agenda but it’s
important that in the development process we put the family and family values in
the balance.
Friends & Co-Workers
According to ancient cultures and philosophy, friendship is an integral part of
the social structure and well-being. Friends are committed to take care of each
other under all conditions and circumstances. Traditionally, in Russia, the
status of “friend” is given to a few people who stay together in thick and thin.
They are considered as confidants and keep in touch even when they are far away.
In China, friendship is considered as a relationship that continues forever.
It’s not unusual to see friends having been together for decades. In the Middle
East, friends exchange the greeting “I sacrifice myself for you.”
As our world has gotten more complicated so has our concept of friendship.
Today, when you look around, it’s hard to find a friend outside of our work
place. The whole idea of friendship in the modern social structure is actually
going through major changes. In our list of priorities there is very little time
for “just friends”. However, there is room for co-workers as friends as we do
spend a great deal of time at work or work-related activities. For some, there
are also friends that are found through religious association. Overall however,
it’s getting harder to find a friend – a confidant whom you can trust and share
your deepest thoughts. Research shows that in the US, 25% of people have no
close personal confidant. This is a trend that is happening in varying degrees
in the fast-growing economies of the world today.
Neighbors
The traditional concept of neighbors is almost like an extension of the family.
This relationship still exists somewhat among people in many cultures, most of
which are not absorbed in extreme materialism. It seems like in the
industrialized modern cities we have become more and more cut off from our
neighbors. It’s getting really difficult to keep a balance between our social
relations and economic prosperity. Today, it’s not unusual to know very little
about who our neighbors are and what they go through. We might merely say no
more than “Hello” to our neighbor as we rush to work or come home after a long
day.
It is likely that children would take the initiative in a neighborhood to play
with each other, and as a result parents get know other parents. As a single
person, however, life can be pretty isolated in the neighborhood. It’s common
that the neighborhood comes together to address security issues or emergency
situations. However, the neighborhood is about living in walled fortresses where
we protect ourselves from the chaotic outside world. Altogether, the trends in
neighborhood relations are reflective of our social understanding and attitude.
This trend and how we view society has a profound effect on the development
process. It’s, in effect, representative of a fragmented approach to life which
lead to lack of social harmony. As a result we suffer spiritually, emotionally
and mentally.
In a balanced development model, the community and its needs come first. In
addressing those needs, and as we foster unity in the community, we ourselves
become enlightened and empowered to be all that we can be.
In the next article, we will continue to examine the role of community in the
development process.
Ramses
Rashidi (ramses@cbdus.org) is the founder
and director of Center for Balanced Development.
The
center is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and
services to foster global balance in social, personal, ecological and economic
development.
BD Article 031 En.doc