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Autonomy-Respecting Assistance: Toward An Alternative Theory of Development Assistance

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  • David Ellerman

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is outline an alternative theory of development assistance by analyzing the old strategies for technical cooperation, capacity-building and, in broader terms, development assistance in a way that will point to new strategies. The perspective is the very old idea that the best form of assistance is to help people help themselves. The problem is how can the helpers supply help that actually furthers rather than overrides or undercuts the goal of the doers helping themselves? This problem of supplying help to self-help, “assisted self-reliance” or assisted autonomy, is the fundamental conundrum of development assistance. The forms of help that override or undercut people's capacity to help themselves will be called “unhelpful help.” These two overriding and undercutting forms of unhelpful help are analyzed and strategies for autonomy-respecting help are presented. Moreover the volitional and cognitive sides of development assistance are given separate but parallel treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • David Ellerman, 2004. "Autonomy-Respecting Assistance: Toward An Alternative Theory of Development Assistance," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 62(2), pages 149-168.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rsocec:v:62:y:2004:i:2:p:149-168
    DOI: 10.1080/00346760410001684424
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    Cited by:

    1. Rem, D. & Gasper, D.R., 2008. "Romania's accession process into the European Union: discourses at policy-, program-, and project-levels in the justice sector," ISS Working Papers - General Series 18730, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    2. Muñiz Castillo, M.R. & Gasper, D.R., 2011. "Human autonomy effectiveness and development projects," ISS Working Papers - General Series 22692, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    3. Laurent Umans, 2012. "Intervention, Facilitation and Self-development: Strategies and Practices in Forestry Cooperation in Bolivia," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(3), pages 773-795, May.
    4. Joy Pritchard & Melissa Upjohn & Tamsin Hirson, 2018. "Improving working equine welfare in ‘hard-win’ situations, where gains are difficult, expensive or marginal," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, February.

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