ABSTRACT
Neo-liberal dominance of international trade, financial and development institutions hinders the prospects for successful late industrialization in the current period. On the other hand, a scenario of completely unregulated global market forces is unlikely to be implemented and the world economy does offer opportunities for late developers as well as constraints. Kitching's position of being in development therefore underestimates the social costs of industrialization, while Sachs’ position of being against development underestimates the potential benefits. A position of being “in and against” development recognizes both the costs and benefits of new technologies, and promotes the minimization of the former and maximization of the latter. A genuinely alternative approach to technology would cease to consider workers (and others) as the objects of “progress”, as they have been in capitalist and state socialist societies. A genuinely alternative approach to technology would cease to consider workers as the objects of “progress”, as they have been in capitalist and state socialist societies.
