The etymology of the word development points toward a definition of the term meaning
something close to "a gradual unfolding, a full working out or disclosure of the details of
something;" or "advancement through progressive stages."; or in terms of Property, a sense
of "bringing out the latent possibilities" for use or profit (Development, n.d). These
definitions imply direction, but they make no moral judgement about where that direction
leads. It is not by necessity that the idea of development should be tied to or associated with
positive connotations. Things that are bad or evil can equally be said to be capable of
developing, unfolding, expanding, growing or advancing through progressive stages. The
optimism or implicit progress-in-the-direction-of-the-good that pervades much modern
international development discourse then, betrays the existence of an underlying set of
assumptions which provide content to both the idea of progress, and the idea of good. The
central question to be addressed in this thesis is 'What are the underlying assumptions which
inform international development theories?
