Road to Development

The Bangladesh Observer
15 February 15, 1978

SINCE the dawn of human civilization men have been trying their best to yield maximum satisfactions by different ways and means. Men assembled and gave birth to society etc; later they realized that small and confined society could not be able to serve their purposes: and then with the broader vision of hopes and aspirations, they set up state as a wider and broader field of life proving their excellence of rationality once again. But the matter in that the force or will which was always active behind this group-life social-life and finally the state-life is their spontaneous efforts and courageous participation in the desired field, because the result of the desired field it is always observed largely depends on vitality, spontaneity and wide participation If vitality will and participation are strong result must be strong productive and fruitful. No society and state can expect anything if the people living not positively and effectively support it in particular places.

In almost every society we find three types of peoples namely- i) cognitive orientation. ii) Affective orientation and. iii) evaluative orientation. Cognitive orientation means a group of citizens or people of a country may be well acquainted with political and social problems of that country, but they don’t take active and pragmatic participation for the development of society and the state.

Affective orientation means a group of citizen or people of a country may always think themselves detached from existing political system or social problem or may reject to do anything as they feel no sense of civic responsibilities towards society and state. They would rather like to lead a secluded life and thus pass the days without involvement in complex life of state.

Evaluative orientation means a group of citizens or people of a country are not only well informed of and connected with the problem of state and society but also feel urge to do something for the all round development of society and state. Then feelings for society and state always prick them to stand anise and push society more and more ahead.

The first two groups of people are always passive inactive and make big talks and deprive society and state of their great service. Being citizens of a country they enjoy privileges but don’t perform their civil responsibilities. These two groups constitute the major portion of total population. On the other hand the initiatives of Government, however pragmatic or not cannot be implemented due to their lack of vitalisation and will of participation with the great motto of social service. They totally forget which in Maxim Gorky’s word –a) duty towards God: (b) duty towards parents and (e) duty towards society or state. If democracy impress “Government of the people by the people and for the people” then how it can be successful or how government can proceed if a major portion of its population lags behind maintaining the principle of cognitive and affective presentations.

One may argue that these happen to backwardness in education, culture environment. But we should not at least forget that these tendencies come primarily from laziness. Even it is found that a number of educated people don’t hesitate to play cognitive and affective roles towards society and state. They think, “Let the things happen as it goes on” because it is not their responsibilities to do the things right or direct or show the people right wav. it is the government who would do this and undoubtedly by cherishing these types of negative attitudes they are just doing harm to society or to nation-building works.

The third is evaluative orientation is that is highly found in USA, UK, France and other developed countries to the maximum degree. Evaluative oriented people naturally constitute small part of total population (With the exception of developed nations). One thing, which, frankly speaking, all the time deserves to be noted and praised that the people within this old irrespective of party affiliations, open or not, come forward voluntarily and energetically to add their sincere and committed efforts to help implement any development scheme of government. They attach prime importance to development rather than clinging to mere ideologies, lectures, alluring words and statements.

In developing countries such evaluative oriented people play most vital or central role in molding society and influencing government. But most of the demands come from cognitive and affective oriented people. These two types of people raise and put forward demands readily, but they cannot at the same time provide proper support and assistance. On the other hand it is well known to all that “output” (which includes rule-making, rule-application and rule-adjudication) is the product of “input” (that includes political socialization, political recruitment, articulation and aggregation) and from this point of view, success of ‘output’ depends largely on the nature and volume of ‘input’. There is no denying the fact that the music and rhythm of demand and supply that is demand support are tagged inseparably and one cannot be viable, lasting and sustainable without other. And if input and output become balanced and responsive its ‘feedback’ also becomes hopeful, productive and fruitful. There lies less possibility of growing any noteworthy frustrating and agitating landscape and here also comes the truth that for the gap between input and output developing nations cannot proceed and go further rapidly.

We being people of a developing nation like Bangladesh also want development as a whole and for this purpose we need more and more evaluative oriented hands in almost every sphere of national life. We are aware of the fact that we neither can overnight transform the people into evaluative standing nor can create or produce necessary atmosphere with a day or month or year .But this is also a reality that goals of developments shall remain below our expectations level unless and until we are able and in a position to convert these two groups i.e. people within the zones of cognitive and affective orientations into people of evaluative orientation.

To suit the very purposes bureaucracy also needs to be brought under proper command and orientation so that people, political institutions and bureaucracy come closer in true sense to overcome the primary stage of cognitive and affective orientations. OCs, COs. SDOs, DCs and Commissioners also be used properly with real motivation. Furthermore, local Leadership may usher a new hope in this field more pragmatically and successfully.

It’s encouraging and good news for us that the government has also chalked out elaborate and comprehensive programs for the training of local leadership and as a part of this, a number of elected members, chairmen and commissioners are making wide tours to Britain Thailand. China and so on that have name and reputation in this field. These kinds of visits and experiences of local leaderships may act as a guide to the cognitive and affective oriented people; government’s emphasis on technical and scientific education is also a pragmatic step and the recently-taken decision of the government to set up agricultural schools in every thana gives us new hope of development, And only the joint responsibilities and leadership of government and local elected representatives can ensure maximum result to suit our purposes of overall developments in particular economic and political developments first of all.