PARTICIPATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN MEXICO

Lack of participation, political and otherwise, has been a case in point in Latin American countries in their struggle to develop, Mexico not being the exception. Political democracy is not enough for the implementation of both a better distribution of wealth and social justice. Development is an increase of people's ability and desire to satisfy their own needs and legitimate desires, and those of others with the means at their disposal. Development will be enhanced when individuals take part in all decisions that affect their lives. This book provides a method of participative strategic planning, the Reflection and Design Conference (RDC), that gives the opportunity for people to participate in the design and implementation of their own future, in ways that do not threaten es­tablished local authorities. In many circumstances the membership of a RDC is a mix of such people along with organizational leaders at several levels. In the RDC atmosphere they all have equal status. The ideas and concepts formulated in this book are of particular interest to organizational and community development practitioners and anyone interested in development in the right sense.