Social Development

Social Development
Dr. M. Vijay Kumar Sharma
Associate Professor,
Department of Social Work,
Mahatma Gandhi Central University,
Motihari, Bihar– 848401.
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SWRK5003
Social Work Intervention
Unit- III
Macro Level Intervention
Topic- Social Development
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Contents
⚫ Meaning of Social Development
⚫ Social Development First Used
⚫ Concepts
⚫ Definitions
⚫ Objectives of Social Development
⚫ Indicators of Social Development
⚫ Principles of social development
⚫ References
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Meaning
The term ‘social development came to lime
light at a point where it was felt that
development in true sense cannot be attained
only through economic advancement and
there is an urgent need for a holistic and
multi-dimensional approach.
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Social Development First Used
⚫ Social development was identified as a panacea for the
problem of development in United Nation’s Report on
the World Situation in the nineteen fifties.
⚫ In India the term ‘Social development’ was first used
in Indian Council of Social Welfare in the year 1973.
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Concept
⚫ Social development it is generally understood to
comprise of a set of objectives including equity and
social justice, which subsume additional objectives
including social inclusion, sustainable livelihoods,
gender equity, increased voice and participation.
⚫ Social development is a process of social change,
not merely a set of policies and programs instituted
for some specific results.
6

Contd…
Social development can be described as the
process of increasing:
⚫ the assets and capabilities of individuals to improve their
wellbeing,
⚫ the capacity of social groups to exercise agency,
transform their relationships with other groups, and
participate in development processes,
⚫ the ability of society to reconcile the interests of its
constituent elements, govern itself peacefully, and
manage change.
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Definitions
⚫ M.S. Gore, a famous sociologist and social work scientist of India
defined social development ‘as a process of bringing about totality
of the socio-economic, political, social and cultural development of
the society’.
⚫ The journal “International Social Development Review-1971, page-
17 by UNO, said, “social development is: human aspect, raising
income, equitable distribution of materials, structural changes to
create a favorable condition for inclusive growth etc”.
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Contd..
⚫ John stated, “Social development is the process of planned institutional
change to bring about a better correspondence between human need on
the one hand and social policies and programmes on the other”.
⚫ Devi writes , “Social development is a comprehensive concept which
implies major structural changes-political, economic and cultural, which
are introduced as a part of deliberate action to transform the society”.
⚫ UNO highlights that social development identified with the greater
capacity of the social system, social structure, institutions, services and
policies to utilize resources to generate favorable changes in the level of
living. 9

Indicators of Social development
Some generally accepted major indicators of social
Development are:
1. Positive change in the levels of living
2. Elimination of poverty
3. Expansion of education
4. Increasing in the level of employment
5. Social justice- that is equal distribution of development
fruits.
6. Upliftment of weaker members of the society
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Contd..
7. Well organized and reliable provisions for security
against various contingencies of life.
8. Improvement of social welfare measures
9. Reduction of regional and sectoral inequalities
10. Protection and improvement of health.
11. Increased popular participation in the developmental
programmes.
12. Improved mechanisms for environment protection
13. Good governance
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Objectives of Social Development
The main purpose of social development is to raise the
standard of living of individuals in the society. Some of the
objectives adopted by most of the nations for their social
development are:
1. A shift in emphasis from the individual to larger collectivities,
encompassing the poor majority or greater emphasis on collective
betterment.
2. To define social goals in terms of the satisfaction of human needs.
3. To improve the quality of life
4. To create a redistributive institutional structure for the attainment of
new social objectives.
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Objectives of Social Development
5. To evolve a broad strategy for organizational and value change to
ensure speedy attainment of redefined social goals.
6. To formulate indicators so as to evaluate social progress and to
assess emerging social needs
7. To set up monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the growth levels
are measurable and sustainable
8. To anticipate upcoming growth-related and other problems and to
prepare for handling them quickly and effectively.
9. To create an ethos in which it is possible to question and rethink the
appropriateness and adequacy of existing social formations and to
work towards their restructuring.
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Principles of social development
1. We define social development in its broadest social terms as an upward
directional movement of society from lesser to greater levels of energy,
efficiency, quality, productivity, complexity, comprehension, creativity,
choice, mastery, enjoyment and accomplishment.
2. Growth and development usually go together, but they are different
phenomena subject to different laws. Growth involves a horizontal or
quantitative expansion and multiplication of existing types and forms of
activities. Development involves a vertical or qualitative enhancement of
the level of organization.
3. Social development is driven by the subconscious aspirations/will of
society for advancement. The social will seeks progressive fulfillment of
a prioritized hierarchy of needs – security of borders, law and order, self-
sufficiency in food and shelter, organization for peace and prosperity,
expression of excess energy in entertainment, leisure and enjoyment,
knowledge, and artistic creativity. 14

Principles of social development
4. Development of society occurs only in fields where that collective will
is sufficiently strong and seeking expression.
5. Development of the collective is subconscious. It starts with physical
experience which eventually leads to conscious comprehension of
the process.
6. Society is the field of organized relationships and interactions
between individuals.
7. Every society possesses a huge reservoir of potential human energy
that is absorbed and held static in its organized foundations—its
cultural values, physical security, social beliefs and political
structures. At times of transition, crises and opportunities, those
energies are released and expressed in action.
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Contd..
8. The act is the basic unit of social organization. The evolution of
more complex and productive activities woven together by people to
form systems, organizations, institutions and cultural values
constitute the fabric or web of social organization.
9. The essential nature of the development process is the progressive
development of social organizations and institutions that harness
and direct the society’s energies for higher levels of
accomplishment.
10. Development requires an enormous investment of energy to break
existing patterns of social behavior and form new ones.
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Contd..
11. Development is a process, not a program. Development is an activity of the
society as a whole. It can be stimulated, directed or assisted by
government
policies, laws and special programs, but it cannot be compelled or carried
out by administrative or external agencies on behalf of the population.
12. Infinity is a practical concept. Human potential is unlimited. Development
potential is infinite.
13. The same principles and process govern development in different fields of
social life – political, economic, technological, scientific, cultural, etc.
14. The same principles and process govern development at the level of the
individual, the organization and the society.

References
1. Pathak, S.(1987). Social Development. In Encyclopaedia of Social Work in
India (vol 3, pp 53-63). New Delhi, India: Ministry of Social Welfare,
Government of India.
2. United Nations, "Social Policy and Planning in National Development",
International Social Development Review, No. 3, 1971, p. 15.
3. United Nations, Report of the Meeting of Experts on Social Policy and
Social Planning, International Social Development Review, No. 3, 1971, p. 4.
4, M.S. Gore, Some Aspects of Social Development, Department of Social
Work, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, p. 10.
5. United Nations, "Highlights of the Symposium on Social Policy and
Planning", International Social Development Review, No. 3, 1971, p. 17.
6. J.F.K. Paiva, "A Conception of Social Development" Social Service Review,
Vol.'51, No. 2, 1977, pp. 332-33.
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