Development, Values and Changing Political Ideas

Author(s): Anwar Ibrahim

Source: Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, Vol. 1, No. 1 (February 1986), pp.
1-7
Published by: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS)
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Development, Values and
Changing Political Ideas

AnwarIbrahim

Introduction
Seenfrom theeconomic pointofview,development theoriesfalllargely
intotwocategories. The firstgroupoftheories propounded mainlyby
conservative scholarstendto see thelackofdevelopment inthe"New
States"as theresultof somelag or lack,whether thisbe in termsof
resources,technology andmanpower orinstitutions.
Thesecondgroup
oftheoriespropounded mainly byradicalscholars
secsuchinternational
dependence relations
as exploitative.
Development andunderdevelop-
mentareseenas partofthesameglobalcapitalist system ina waythat
corresponds withMarx'slaw of unevendevelopment and pauperiza-
tioninsociety.Thesetwosetsof theories areessentially
basedon the
economic aspectsofdevelopment. Withsuchan emphasis oneconomics
indevelopment theories,littleattention
has beenpaidto otherfunda-
mentalissues.

The Meaning of Development

Ifdevelopment is tobe brought aboutintheNewStates,thenitshould
be defined
according totheneedsandvaluesofthecountries concerned.
Development transplanted fromelsewherehastobescrutinized.
A new
dimensionand meaningrelevant to theparticular
countryhas to be
theprimeconcern.
Muchof thedefinition of development fromtheWest
originating
hasrejected
anyreference tomoralandethicalconsiderations.
Cultural
is regarded
preservation as retrogressive
inthemarchfordevelopment.

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2 SOJOURN VOLUME 1 NUMBER 1

Nevertheless,our repeatedreferenceand cautionagainstwesternmodels

should not be seen as an obsessionor intentionto picturetheWest as
the main villain,but ratherto stressour recognitionof the fact that
westerndevelopmentmodelshave emergedas a resultof theparticular
experiencesof the West.
Westernapprehensionof moralityand ethicsarisesout of a Western
world-view. Secularistsmaintainthatthenon-material (thatis, spiritual)
has nothingto do with the material,and that thereforethereis a
dichotomybetweenman'smundaneaffairsand hisspiritualexperiences
and concerns.But latelya new paradigmin developmentstudieshas
slowlyemerged.Studies of economic problems,it is now thought,
should be approached not merelyas economic problemsin isolation
but in thecontextof an activesocial systemand as partof an overall
socio-culturalproblem. In thissearch fora new paradigm,we must
freeourselvesfromwesternintellectualhegemony.Its "flexibleposi-
tional superiority"often manifestin orientalstudiesshould not be
allowedto transcendour understanding and appreciationof themean-
ing of lifeand development.We should freeour "captiveminds"so
as to enable us to explore new possibilitiesand alternatives.
Our plannersand intellectualsshould readilyreformulate plans and
strategiesindependentlyin the lightof our concept of man and the
meaningof development.As thegreatAlgerianthinker Malik Ben Nabi
observed,"A societywhichdoes not make its own guidingideas can
make neitheritsconsumergoods noritsequipment.It is notby means
of ideas importedor imposed that a societycan develop. We must
recoverour intellectualoriginalitybeforewe can regainour political
and economic independence."
When one accepts thatthe focusof a developmentprocessis man
himself,thena priorithemeaningof developmentmustnecessarilybe
universaland is thereforerelevantand applicable to the whole of
humankind.In order to elucidateits meaning,it is imperativeat the
outsetto achievea knowledgeof man,thatis, to forman accuratecon-
ception of his essence or essential nature and substantivereality.
Withoutsuch a knowledge*any otherscience we seek to harnessfor
thepurposeof man wouldbe incapableof bringing us anywhere because
withoutknowledgeof man's trueessence and substantivereality,we
are deprivedof the correctunderstanding of the meaningof life and
the significanceof our existenceand its truepurpose.

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DEVELOPMENT, VALUES AND CHANGING POLITICAL IDEAS 3

Here,however, liesourdilemma.Whileitistruethatourknowledge
aboutnatural sciences andtherationalworldhasgrowntremendously,
our knowledge of humanity has notprogressed likewise.Despitethe
stunningadvancesmadeinthefieldsofpsychology andsociology,for
example,theresults achievedhavebeensterile.In simpleterms,man
cannotreallyknow"how"unlesshe knows"why".Thoughit is im-
possibleto agreeon a precisedefinition of manor humanity because
ofdifferencesinscientificperspectives, ideology orreligious doctrines,
wecan,nevertheless, agreeon theirmostessential, sharedbasisofex-
istence.Without delineating theelements pertaining to theconception
of manaccording- to themajorcurrent ideologicalschools(thatis,
secularwesternliberalism,secularmarxism, secularexistentialism,and
therearesomefundamental
religion), issueswhichmaybesaidto form
sucha sharedbasis.Man is a primary beingin thenaturalworld.He
possessesthewilltointervene withnatureandalsothepowerofchoice.
Thisis articulated withreference to a systemof values.
Thusanyprogramme fordevelopment thatfollowsfroma recogni-
tionof theseissuescannotbutbe consistent withhumannature.It
would, therefore, have to include the commitment to eradicatemass
the
poverty, respect forhuman dignity and freedom, theencourage-
mentofpeople'sparticipation at all levelstowards andna-
self-reliance
tionalresilience.
Theeradication ofpoverty andnationalreconstruction wouldrequire
will
political and the commitment to the principle ofjustice.Structural
reforms wouldbe neededto eradicateexploitation and monopolistic
practicesby individuals, conglomerates or local partnersof multi-
nationalcorporations.
Development wouldbe meaningful if it is morecomprehensive,
including moral,spiritual and material dimensions. Withethicalax-
ioms as its basis, the economicsystemwould,by its verynature,
disciplineman'sinsatiabledesireandgreed.A meaningful development
mustliberatethemassesfromtheclutches of a dehumanizing system
intoa humanesocialorder.

IndigenousValues and CulturalChange

In anycommunity con-
therearetwoaspectsof lifewhich,together,
stitutethecultureof thsUcommunity.First, thereare the material

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4 SOJOURN VOLUME 1 NUMBER 1

aspectswhichincludesthetools, implements, artifacts,machinesand

weapons whichthecommunityhas devisedand continuesto devisein
its attemptsto surmountthe challengeposed by the naturalworld to
itssurvival,to defenditselfagainstaggressionbyothersocietiesor other
livingcreatures,as well as to solve problemsarisingfromwithinthe
communityitself.
Secondly,thereis also a lesstangibleaspectof culturewhichincludes
the body of knowledgethat we, as humanbeings,have accumulated
and continueto accumulate,thelanguageswe speak, and thecustoms
and lawswhichguideour way of lifeas wellas theentirebeliefsystem,
that is, ideologyand religion.
The problemof culturalidentitycan be perceivedas a world-wide
phenomenon,but in the New States it takes on morespecificdimen-
sions and a greaterurgency.These countriesare beginningto recover
fromthecolonialinterludein whichtheirhistoriesweretruncated.They
wereexposed to a new language,cultureand values at theexpenseof
theirown. The post-colonialperiodsaw thecontinuationof manyof
the colonial values amongstthe litesof the New States. There thus
existsan lite-massgap whichfewof thesecountriesare able to bridge
successfully.Furthermore, in theNew States,technologicalinferiority
has oftenbeen equated withculturalinferiority. This syndromeenables
technologicallysuperiorculturesto wield undue influenceover even
themosttrivialmatters.Underthesecircumstances, culturalvaluesand
attitudesare subject to constantreviewby the government.
As the communitymeetsnew challengesfromthe environment or
seeks to improveits materialwell-being,it beginsat thesame timeto
acquire new values and norms that are associated with these new
materialgains. In this process of acquisition,old culturalelements,
valuesand normsare discardedand displaced.Since newmaterialwell-
beingbringsabout prosperity, it is ofteninterpretedthatnewcultural
elementsmustalso be good. This is, of course, not always the case.
Anyprocessof change need not mean a totaloverhaulof theexisting
value system.The presentvalue systemwhichis conduciveto thewell-
beingof the societymustbe preserved.Culturalartifactsthatreflect
continuityof heritagemustbe viewedwithpride. In otherwords,we
must not let change rob and plunderour culture,because material
change alone cannot build a nation.

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DEVELOPMENT. VALUES AND CHANCING POLITICAL IDEAS 5

Islam and Change

Islam is not merelya "theologicalsystem"but an entirecivilization.
It has shown,and stillshows, a greatconcernforspiritualas well as
temporalmatters.It is equallyflexibleand adaptsitselfreadilyto chang-
ingsituations.Fromitsinception,ithas showna greatrespectforscien-
tificand rationalthinking.It is essentiallya pragmaticreligionwith
a keensense of historicaldirection.Muslimthinkersruledout theac-
quisitionof knowledgesimplyby imitation(taqlid). They reiterated
thatwhathad once beenachievedcould be achievedagain by theadop-
tionof modernsciencesof Europe and therestorationof the unityof
the Muslimcommunity.What is meantby solidarityis not simplythe
co-operationbetweenthe religiousor politicalleaders, but more im-
portantlythe solidarityof the Ummah (Community),the sense of
responsibilitywhicheach membershouldhave towardsthe othersand
the whole, the desire to live togetherin the communityand work
togetherforits welfare.
Islam does oppose developmentwhich propagates inequalityand
whichis void of moraland spiritualvalues. Islam has neverbeen and
will neverbe an obstacle to change. Thus, to accuse Islam of failure
in development projectsis inappropriate and showsa lack of knowledge
and understanding of the people concerned.
Islam providesan ideologicalalternativeto thedominantparadigm.
Islamizationis a recurrent phenomenonand continuesto presentitself
in thelightof therealitiesof contemporary society.It is modern,fresh
and vigorous,possessingthe power to challengethe thinkingof the
world establishment and the abilityto providea viable alternative.
In the west, the industrial revolution and subsequently the
technologicalrevolutionhavealwaysbeen viewedas themarchof pro-
gress.In thisprocess,mores,values, normsand orientationsundergo
changesas well. But theexcitement of witnessingchange has become
an end in itself;the urgeto renewand innovate,to amaze the world
withthe latestdiscoveriesand to participatein the latesttrends,has
in some waysbecomethedominantethicof thewesternmind. Change
is broughtabout, at times,at the priceof dehumanizingman.
Islamizationis also a processof change.Oftenit has to do away with
elementsof the past thatare not desirable,that obstructits path of
progress.Oftenenough it has to look back to the past if only as a

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6 SOJOURN VOLUME 1 NUMBER 1

guidinglightto the future.Inevitablytheprocessdemandsnew ideas,

thoughtand creativitybut it should remainwithinthe frameworkof
theguidedprinciplesand traditionsof thepast. This is thebasic premise
of the IslamicSystem- its positivenesswithregardto the futureand
itsrootin tradition,so thatwhilethespiritof innovationand improve-
mentmustbe allowed to reign,man mustbe mooredsafelyto the fun-
damentalsof his being. The presentphenomenonof man's search for
identity,values, justice, brotherhoodand love is, in essence, the
"Islamization"process.

IslamizationProcess in Malaysia
Islam has been in our regionfor not less than fivecenturies.Before
that, the entire Malay Archipelago - which formsfour-fifths of
modern-dayASEAN (the Associationof SoutheastAsian Nations) -
was our equivalentof the European Dark Ages beforeChristianity.
Islam broughtus light,vision, a betterway of lifeand a civilization
- in the same way as Christiansbelieve Christianitybroughtthe
Westernworld lightand salvation.
In a momentof weakness,we wereconqueredat theturnof thesix-
teenthcentury.Our land plunderedand our richesdispersed,we were
subjectedto humiliationand degradation.We were,inshort,dehuman-
ized. But throughoutthosebitteryearsuntil31 August1957,whenwe
gainedindependence,Islam has alwayspreservedour dignityand self-
respect.
Whenwe talk about Islamizationin Malaysia, it is not a hysterical
reactiontowardstheWest. Afterall, we have been independentfor28
years now. It is also not the "us" versus "them"situation.So our
Islamizationpolicyis primarilymeantforthe Muslimsthemselves.It
is a processto renewand reaffirm our faithin themoraland spiritual
principles that have been our main source of strength.
As partof a process,the developmentprogrammesupon whichwe
have embarkedcall fortime. We musthold back theurgeto see im-
mediateresults.We understandand recognizethe factthatelements
in thebureaucracy,thepoliticians,intellectualsand thegeneralpublic
are notentirelyreadyfortheIslamizationeffort.Some of thoseMuslim
bankers, economists and bureaucratsassignedthetaskof preparingfor
thesettingup of our Islamic banks, forexample,havenotbeen known

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DEVELOPMENT, VALUES AND CHANGING POLITICAL IDEAS 7

to be Islamic scholarsor committedworkersin Islamic movements.

Nevertheless, theyhave provedto be dedicatedto thetask. As forthe
generalpublic,we needa strategyto ensurethattheyunderstand.This
could be done throughthemedia and throughtrainingand education.
We do not believe that Islam and Islamization can be achieved
throughexhortationsor declarationswhich give ill-consideredpro-
minenceto labels such as the"Islamic State". We have to avoid labels
not onlyin viewof our complexmulti-racial societybut because most
effortsto improvethepeople's standardof livingand theirway of life
come withoutthe Islamic label. But theyare not necessarilywholly
secularor anti-Islamic.Universalvalues thatpromotethe growthof
the individualand his societyare partand parcel of man's being. He
who ignoresthemdoes so at his own peril.That is whywe recommend
Malaysiansto look East, to theexamplesof Japan and Korea, to the
positivevalues thatthepeople of thesenationsliveby. Of course even
someMuslimstendto be apprehensiveand cynicalabout learningfrom
"alien" systemsdue to their traumaticexperiencewith the West.
However,lookingto thesepositivevaluesdoes not by any means con-
stitutean abrogationof Islamic values and ideals.
In thecase of our relationshipwiththeWesthowever,it has always
been a wholesaleimitationof Westernvalues and practices.Through
education,economicand administrative systemsthatwere introduced
by thecolonial master,we weresubjectedto theirways of life. Now,
alongsideIslamization,we are lookingbeyondthe boundaries of our
countryas a freeand independentpeople determinedto embarkupon
policies that would enhanceour positionin the world community.
We firmly believethatifwe could producea morallyupright,honest
and God-fearing majority, wouldalso benefit
tiieirattitudeand activities
ail others.We need thismoral strengthin the bulk of our people for
moral and spiritualenhancementto be made possible, and for the
eradicationof corruptionand poverty.

Anwar Ibrahim is the Ministerfor Agricultureand Presidentof UMNO Youth (the

youthwingof the United Malays National Organization),Malaysia.

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