ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that cohesive development the alternative development paradigm for averting civilizational crisis. It is an alternative to the mainstream development paradigm, which is rooted in the capital system and has resulted in devastating acts against humanity and nature. While the moorings of cohesive development are anchored on the principles of solidarity between humans on the one hand and humans and nature on the other, cohesive development rejects methodological individualism for shaping and directing the development process. Instead, reciprocal altruism is one of its basic constituent elements for determining the development process. The logic of capital as it works in the capital system is replaced here with one that seeks to establish a radically different social metabolic order. Within this framework of comprehensive co-operation, development is redefined in that the deprived ones organise themselves into large subjects to build collective understanding about their development objective and negotiate and transact with the state and market for their collective emancipation. The central message of each article in the volume is also crystallised in this chapter.
