ABSTRACT
The traumatic nature of change and the need for its mitigation are addressed with specific reference to indigenous cultures, ethnic groups, and traditional communities. Hurtful potentials are discussed with reference to the concept anomie in which socially acceptable goals can no longer be achieved in socially acceptable ways. The concept of anomie provides a means of conceptualizing the pain and dysfunction that often accompanies economic development. Implications of anomie are explored with reference to the idea of the “tyranny of the majority” and the concept of the concurrent majority that protects the rights of minorities especially within their own territories.
