Development in retrospect: historical-phenomenological analysis

The article is devoted to development as a concept and phenomenon in historical retrospect. Attention is drawn to the fact that development in its modern understanding became an observable fact and a conscious idea no earlier than the second half of the 18th century. The deeper we look into history, the less development we see in it as a phenomenon and concept ranging from technology to ideology. The analysis of data on the Middle Ages, the Ancient World and the era of primitive society shows that development is rarely present in history and is practically absent in prehistory. The emerging trends in the global economy and demography suggest a decline in growth rates and a slowdown in development. In this regard, the likening of postmodernity to premodernity in the future can remove development from the number of significant values and goals of society, so the question arises about possible alternatives.