Is development a state of mind or a tangible entity? True, development needs prosperity but there is no close relationship between these. Let us take a very down to earth example. A prosperous father's son may not be prosperous, or may not remain prosperous. Examples abound. A prosperous father cannot help his son to develop by the sheer force of prosperity. There are numerous such examples. On the other hand, a progressive mother, by definition, is likely to produce a progressive daughter. We can safely say that while prosperity is all about mundane possessions, development is not. Development is more akin to happiness, satisfaction, containment, knowledge, strength of the mind and the physique. Some of which cannot be ensured by prosperity.

Development is a way of life that gives an individual comfort, which however, has to come through the avenue of societal comfort. Prosperity does not improve the life style automatically, unless it has been used for a developed life style. Does every rich person draw our respect? Some of them have money but no education, no idea or practice of living in a healthy way, do not know manners and are even devoid of civic sense. Can we vouch that they are developed? Comfortable life style of an individual is dependent on the environment that he lives in, on the life style of the people around, on the stage of development of the society, and on the governance system of the country. Which means that development cannot be individualistic but has to be pluralistic, unlike prosperity. Development would mean education and health to begin with, which may not be required for attaining prosperity. Prosperity, without development, means plenty of resources in the possession of some, but not used with vision. Vision is the progeny of development, not of prosperity.

Prosperity is uni-dimensional and development is multi-dimensional, e.g., it has individual, social and national dimensions. Within the individual dimension there are the spiritual, mental and physical dimensions. Earthly assets will make one prosperous, but to be developed one needs the fulfillment of all these dimensions, otherwise development remains incomplete. Many of these developmental dimensions may be achieved without prosperity, while prosperity alone does not bring forth development, as we have stated above.

Development is achieved when everybody prospers to some degree in contrast to a few prospering limitlessly. The latter scenario creates tension in the society and in the nation. Apparent gaudiness of a few can fire hatred in the minds of many, especially when this pomp comes through the blood and sweat of the onlookers. This is prosperity for some and development for none. For real bliss all out prosperity, i.e., development, is unconditional. Prosperity may ensure a nice house, even a nice family; but the moment one steps out of one's home, one will be in the sea of chaos. How can one term this sort of a life a developed life!

The sense of solidarity, camaraderie and patience is a sign of development. It is a sign of maturity without which development cannot be attained. Development needs compassion; all that prosperity needs is greed. Development comes through a straight path; prosperity may come through dark alleys. Development would not come if a few are blindly selfish, and the rest leave everything to luck.

Development needs production while prosperity may come through trading alone. Both are, however, facilitated by infrastructure steered by governance. Building infrastructure needs prioritization since resources are not unlimited. These might be ordered as, the legal infrastructure (enforcement of law and governance system), education, health, housing, energy, transportation and communication and science and technology/ research. These would be the basis of sustained production. Only sustained production can fetch prosperity, i.e., development for all, albeit to varying degrees. This would then create demand for improved living conditions, spiraling into demands for better education, better health, more comfort in individual and family life that, however, can only come through a better social environment.

Education, if good, will expand the horizon of understanding that would enhance the level of patience and solidarity in the people. People will realize that individual greed does not bring social and national happiness, without which individual happiness will sound far fetched. This sense would strengthen a good governance system, creating a sense of justice in people's minds. If individuals are at peace with themselves peace will spread out in the society, and in the nation.

For development what we need, therefore, is judicious plans, prioritization of our developmental efforts and an effective governance system. Time has proved convincingly that even the apparent national prosperity, that hides individual agonies behind the rule of averages, does not stand high when it is appraised for development. Global development indicators are, by and large, social, e.g., some effects and impacts of education and health, that are the distal factors of one proximate indicator -- income. Income, in itself however, is not a measure of development.

It is in fact how the income has been expended for development that reflects development, or lack of it. Are all those countries, whose per capita income is more than that of Bangladesh, on a higher rung with regard to development? Why then has Bangladesh fared better than some countries, which are more prosperous? Unfortunately we are forgetting this with time.

In the past Bangladesh prioritized social sector expenditures with some appreciable results, but infrastructures remained side tracked. This trend would slow the future pace of development, as development is an uphill task. The more we progress the more difficult it becomes to progress. The present national budgetary allocations, without taking care of infrastructures, will make the present achievements unsustainable. Our priority needs to be on agricultural prosperity for attaining development, and not other-wise.

At this juncture of our national life we have to decide, what do we need -- prosperity or development? If we choose development then we have to endure a little bit of sacrifice on prosperity. We take away a little bit of prosperity from some and use it for the development of all. While in prosperity a few win, in development every body wins (although half baked illiterates of the world, and the governments that they form, do not understand the dynamics).

The present national trend, unfortunately, is leading us towards seeking prosperity for a chosen few, hence the greed, deception, stealing and slaughter. We need to shun this path and strive for development, where everybody will have some basic subsistence to live a decent life, be content and not be a threat to others out of sheer jealousy.

We need to realize that "money can buy us food but cannot increase our appetite." With little money we can attain more development, penny for penny, but with a whole world of prosperity we cannot assure ourselves of contentment. After all what is money for? To fatten our egos and draw wrath and loathing of others? Does it really pay in the end? Has not the time come to think whether we want this sort of life of greed and sleaze for ourselves and our children?

Zakir Hussain is Staff Consultant, Urban Health, Asian Development Bank, and former Director of Primary Health Care & Disease Control, Directorate General of Health Services.