Physical versus Human Assistance

With funding resources being so scarce where do you think dollars are best spent in developing communities—funding physical development or human development? Give reasons to support your reasoning. Where do you think community change happens, at the community level or at the governmental level?

Although the ideal situation in a developing community is to have funding to improve both physical and human infrastructure, when a choice must be made, investing in human capital is more vital. A good example of this is the developing world nation of India. A highly educated populace that speaks English and has an abundance of technical capabilities has attracted foreign investment to the nation. When there is a pool of trained individuals, outside organizations are more inclined to see opportunities for themselves; they are also more likely to offer aid, given that there is a greater likelihood such aid will not be wasted. Conversely, an investment in physical development alone will not necessarily be utilized well, if the “boots on the ground” do not have the necessary knowledge to utilize it. Less educated nations often have more government corruption, which can further hamper development.
Community level support is ultimately very important to ensure that change can occur. National governments cannot manage the necessary day-to-day cultural and micro-level changes necessary for change to take root and to become new standard operating practices. Of course, changes in government policy, financial support, and sometimes in regulation are necessary to support communities. But change cannot be imposed from above without some level of community support, otherwise resistance will arise which will kill the change. A refusal to obey the letter of the law, bribery to look the other way, and corruption are all ways in which communities can passively resist imposed changes with which they disagree. Conversely, communities even in the absence of government support can come together and support change. Communities, particularly in nations where governments are not genuinely democratic or responsive to the actual needs of the population, may have a better idea of what is needed than the actual leadership.