Development and security

This paper reviews the connections between development and security both within developing countries and globally. It interprets security as human security, and within this category focuses on political violence as an important source of insecurity. Three connections are hypothesised: that human security forms an important part of people’s wellbeing and is therefore an objective of development; that lack of human security has adverse consequences on economic growth and poverty and thereby on development; and that lack of development, or imbalanced development that involves sharp horizontal inequalities, is an important cause of conflict. Evidence supporting these relationships is surveyed for developing countries. A brief overview of the current global situation suggests similar relationships obtain. Hence for both developing countries and to prevent global terrorism, it is essential to promote inclusive development. A focus on military solutions alone – the usual interpretation of ‘security’ – will not succeed.