Key Takeaways
- The Consumption Trap: A nation might appear “developed” because its citizens use modern technology, but if it can’t produce these tools, it’s merely a wealthy consumer.
- Technology Transfer Illusion: Buying a factory without the underlying knowledge makes it just a “metal box” we don’t truly own.
- Green Industrial Revolution: Shift from heavy, imported industry toward renewable local resources.
- Rural Industrialization: Build small-scale, high-tech industries in rural areas processing local materials.
- From Scarcity to Abundance: Stop feeling “poor” for lacking Western machinery; recognize the untapped richness in local resources.
In our previous post, we discussed the need to redefine what “development” means philosophically. Now, we move to the hard numbers: The Economy.
When we talk about a country’s success, we almost always point to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). If the number goes up, we celebrate. But Dr. Hamed El-Mously argues that for developing nations, this metric can be a dangerous mask. It often hides a reality of deep dependency rather than true strength.
The Consumption Trap
El-Mously draws a sharp distinction between a society that consumes technology and one that produces it. A nation might appear “developed” because its citizens drive modern cars and use the latest smartphones. But if that nation cannot design or manufacture those tools itself, it hasn’t developed; it has merely become a wealthy consumer.
He critiques the common reliance on “Technology Transfer”—the idea that you can simply buy a factory from abroad and install it to become industrialized. Without the underlying technological capability—the human skills, the design knowledge, and the R&D infrastructure—the factory is just a metal box that we don’t truly own.
The “Green Industrial Revolution”
So, what is the alternative economic model? El-Mously proposes a fascinating shift away from heavy, imported industry toward a “Green Industrial Revolution” rooted in our own backyard.
He suggests looking at the “forgotten” resources of the Arab world: Renewable Material Resources. This implies:
- Turning Waste into Wealth: Utilizing agricultural by-products (like date palm residues or crop stalks) which are often burned or discarded.
- Rural Industrialization: Instead of forcing everyone into overcrowded cities, we can build small-scale, high-tech industries in rural areas that process these local materials.
From Scarcity to Abundance
This economic approach flips the script. Instead of feeling “poor” because we lack Western machinery, we realize we are “rich” in local resources we haven’t yet tapped.
By building an economy based on local materials and local innovation, we create a system that is resilient. We stop bleeding currency on imports and start generating value from the very soil we stand on. This is “Material Progress” that actually reaches the hands of the people who need it most.
An economy is not measured by what you can buy, but by what you can create. True economic development starts by recognizing the value in our local resources and building the capacity to transform them ourselves.
Coming Up Next: We have covered the philosophy and the economy. But what about the people? In Part 3, we will explore The Human Aspect, focusing on education, equity, and the creative potential of society.
This series is based on Dr. Hamed El-Mously’s book “Reflections on Development” (Ta’ammulāt fī at-Tanmiyah), available at the Hindawi Foundation.