Participation without power: Subterfuge of development?

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Some forms of participation are often criticised as tokenist, giving participants no power. Participation in government schemes often means no more than using the service on offer or providing inputs to resource it. Participation may treat people as objects in ‘self-help’ schemes that have not been designed by those affected. It may be a means of indoctrination, place responsibility for development with those least able to bear it, become a kind of forced labour, or discourage utilization by the poor. However, in developing countries benefits may be derived from even the weakest forms of participation. Five such forms are identified -utilization, contributions, enlistment, cooperation, and consultation - and their benefit to community development considered.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: