ABSTRACT
This note identifies two philosophical perspectives on economic development that inform debates about development and structural adjustment policies: the “framework approach” typical of Western aid donors, particularly multilateral development finance institutions such as the World Bank, and the “ingredients approach” adopted by the government of Japan in its development assistance policies. Discussion focuses on general conceptual clarification of issues dif-ferentiating these two approaches, with only occasional reference to specific experiences. Discourse at this level of generality will help clarify the nature and extent of philosophical differences between Japan and multilateral institutions on specific development policy issues.
