Challenges for NGOs in the Changing Political Setting

Abstract

While the "Third Generation Strategy" aims to bring about alternative development programs and affect structural changes to benefit the poor and powerless, it is generally cast within the general framework of the new international political economy which requires more pluralistic social systems in the Third World. It hardly discusses the promotion of organic intellectuals and people's organizations. The strategy concentrates on the role of the NGOs, which is basically a middle class organization with its own internal weaknesses, and on such other issues that are technical and internal to the organization (e.g., strategic management). This may prove to be self-serving, and may lead to bureaucratization. The more important point, after all, is to empower the people's organization rather than the NGOs per se.