Ignacy Sachs's conceptsand the contribution to studies in Local Development: a small reflection

Conceitos de Ignacy Sachs e a contribuição aos estudos em Desenvolvimento Local: uma breve reflexão

Concepts de Ignacy Sachs et la contribution aux études en développement local : une brève réflexion

Los conceptos de Ignacy Sachs y la contribución a los estudios en el desarrollo local: una breve reflexión

Abstract:

Development studies of the deal with the pillars of sustainability and sustainable development is broader in your vision format field. The aim of this scientific paper is to contextualize intellectual and professional trajectory of Ignacy Sachs, to understand how was the construction of concepts that include economic, social and environmental fundamental aspects to studies in Local Development. The bibliographical research used on the spiral of knowledge is to show how it is consolidated ideas starting from local studies.

Key words:
Ignacy Sachs; sustainability; local development; spiral of knowledge

Resumo:

Os estudos do desenvolvimento versam sobre os pilares da sustentabilidade e o Desenvolvimento Sustentável é um formato mais abrangente de sua visão. O objetivo deste artigo é contextualizar a trajetória intelectual e profissional de Ignacy Sachs, para compreender como se deu a construção de conceitos que abarcam aspectos econômicos, sociais e ambientais fundamentais aos estudos em Desenvolvimento Local. A pesquisa bibliográfica exploratória utilizou a espiral do conhecimento para evidenciar como idéias se consolidaram partindo de estudos locais.

Palavras-chave:
Ignacy Sachs; sustentabilidade; desenvolvimento local; espiral do conhecimento

Résumé:

Les études de développement avec les piliers de la durabilité et le développement durable est un format plus large sur leur vision. Le objectif de ce papier est contextualiser la trajectoire intellectuelle et professionnelle des Ignacy Sachs, de comprendre comment était la construction de concepts qui incluent des aspects économiques, sociaux et environnementaux fondamentaux aux études sur le Développement Local. La recherche bibliographique utilisé la spirale de la connaissance pour montrer comment les idéesont été consolidée sà partir d'études locales.

Mots-clés:
Ignacy Sachs; durabilité; developpement local; la spirale de la connaissance

Resumen:

Los estudios sobre el acuerdo de desarrollo con los pilares de la sostenibilidad y el desarrollo sostenible es un formato más amplio de su visión. El objetivo de este artículo es contextualizar la trayectoria intelectual y profesional de Ignacy Sachs, para entender cómo fue la construcción de los conceptos que incluyen aspectos económicos, sociales y ambientales fundamentales para los estudios sobre el Desarrollo Local. La investigación bibliográfica ha utilizado la espiral del conocimiento para mostrar cómo las ideas se han consolidado a partir de estudios locales.

Palabras clave:
Ignacy Sachs; sostenibilidad; desarrollo local; espiral del conocimiento

1 INITIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Sustainable development is a recurring theme nowadays, in the academic area and around of it. In recent decades there wasn't much mentions about what we call social and environmental responsibility. One of the pioneers in the building of the eco-development concept is Ignacy Sachs, who has part of his academic qualification in Brazil and has a deep expertise in our socioeconomic and environmental. The theory may be considered pathfinder of critical thinking about conscious development for humanity.

Establishing a positive and constructive relationship between economic growth, social welfare and respect for the environment, possessing these as the three pillars of sustainable development, Sachs contributes in a decisive way with awareness of the need to preserve nature without forgetting the economic growth which is very essential to humanity.

Ignacy Sachs exceeded the primary thought in his area, because he maintained the need to connect economic growth and sustainability with the environment preservation, establishing the development concept thinking in future generations, in an effort to meet major social problems, particularly relating unemployment with the ideal conditions of decent work.

On this proposal for presentation on the concepts of (re)building process, it is considered necessary the theoretical contribution to the sustainable development at the same time it provides clarity, to those uninitiated, the economist's view point understanding, that contributed with a modern vision of society, economy and environment.

While those included are living in a reformed capitalism and those excluded / those not-included are condemned to harsher forms and even wild capitalism, study the principles related to sustainability proposed by Sachs is more than a mere reflection to the development studies.

This research aimed to know, from texts written by Ignacy Sachs, concepts on the subject of sustainability, that can support, the construction of categories of analysis investigations for Local Development, by establishing a correlation between the types of forms development with the author's thinking, the corresponding importance of the interaction of economic, social and environmental fields.

For this work was necessary the use of exploratory and bibliographic literature, in order to bring greater intelligibility of the selected texts concepts. The exploratory research is part of the category of studies, which seek to discover ideas and intuitions, in order to increase researcher's knowledge on the facts; it is focused, among others, the concepts elucidation for further studies. According to Piovesan and Temporini (1995) it is from a qualitative nature and it operates in specific contexts.

This type of research can be developed with less rigidity in planning, once it is developed for the purpose of providing overview, in approximate way of its object, in this case the way of life and Sachs's thinking is the empirical context, which produces a reflection constant reworking.

About the development of the research was distinguished as bibliography is characterized by the use of materials posted by the theoretical authored studied, mainly, articles in scientific journals, which have been carefully arranged in a sequence from the same thinking. Given that to achieve such intent was necessary to operationalize more specific actions as: to establish a correlation between the types of development in the author's thought and characterize aspects of sustainable development, showing the importance of the economic interrelationship, social and environmental fields.

At this stage the method used was quite similar to the described by Bardin (2011) as content analysis, which undertakes, at first, the selecting and differentiation of the elements by categories, with pre-defined criteria, for example: eco-development, and then ask the questions and their interpretation.

Coming from the theoretical recovery life story and then unveil the process of building its reasoning and its theoretical contribution.

2 THE IGNACY SACHS RESEARCHER

Track the intellectual history of Ignacy Sachs is at least a life learning experience and overcome. He was born in Warsaw, capital of Poland in 1927, with Polish Jewish origin, he spent his childhood in his hometown until his family was forced to move to Romania and then to France, fleeing from Nazi persecution in the period that preceded the World War II.

In 1940, germans invaded France and Sachs's family was forced to continue escaping from the Nazi genocide. Many refugees was following the same path, they crossed Europe and arrived in Portugal where they used a ship to arrive in Rio de Janeiro to start a new life away from the horrors of war (GENTIL, 2011).

Several years later, he was still living in Rio de Janeiro city, Ignacy Sachs finished the basis of his studies at the College Pasteur and taught Portuguese and other disciplines to Polish immigrants who was arriving in the country. He worked at the Polish Consulate in Rio de Janeiro contracted by the cultural service and then initiated activities related to culture between Brazil and Poland. During this period he met great artists and intellectuals such as the brazilians: Cecília Meireles, Candido Portinari, Graciliano Ramos, among others, who are key personalities in his intellectual development.

While he was working at the embassy, Sachs studied economics at Faculdade de Ciências Políticas e Econômicas do Rio de Janeiro [Faculty of Political Science and Economics from Rio de Janeiro], currently with the name of Cândido Mendes. In 1954, he decided to return to Poland because he believed that the country didn't have mathematicians and statisticals enough and specialized in these areas. Then, at a later period, experiencing the reality of his native country, he started to compare his country with Brazil in his works, since then has gone into studies on development issues (DIAMOND, 2004).

In the period when he was in Warsaw, he met Michael Kalecki, creator of macroeconomics and the theory of economic development together with John Keynes and still working for the Polish government, Sachs was sent to India. While working at the embassy, did his PhD at Delhi School of Economics where he defended the thesis: State capitalism and Underdevelopment (1964), work that even today is considered a classic of the Development Theory. When Sachs returned to Poland, inspired by the Kalecki's theories, he became the adviser and coordinated the Developing Economies Center.

In 1968 the anti-Semitism - a xenophobia's face, in this case against Jews - again intensify in Polandand Sachs went into exile, at this time in France, country where he soon began to working as a teacher at Advanced Studies in Social Sciences School (EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales). He created the Center for Contemporary Studies about Brazil at the Advanced Studies in Social Sciences School in Paris and the International Centre for Research on Environment and Development - CIRED, in 1973(BRESSER-PEREIRA, 2013).

Sachs participated in the Founex conference in Switzerland in 1971 and the preparations for the Stockholm conference in 1972both organized by the United Nations. He commanded the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean /United Nations Development Program(CEPAL/PNUD), from 1974 to 1976, collaborating with the implementation of eco Center development of Mexico. Since 1990 is adviser of the United Nations Educational area, Scientific and Cultural (UNESCO), having actively participated in the Rio-92 conference preparation (MOURA, 2013).

In the preface of one of Ignacy Sachs's works, Celso Furtado by citing the economist, points out that the reading of his texts encourages us to put in evidence the impasses faced in Brazil today, because Sachs is very knowledgeable of the problem about the development and concepts, which was prepared for him helps to avoid to confuse fantasy and reality (SACHS, 2008).

Ignacy Sachs is an example of a generation of intellectuals, which formed the technical scientific community of the post - world war. His cosmopolitanism - philosophical thought, which despises the geographical boundaries imposed by society - contributed to the formulation of a regimented reflection, where the concept comprises Eco development, in a period that conceived the debate about the maintenance of the natural resources and the resulting inflection of the Development Theory (LOPES, 2014).

In his personal and intellectual trajectory that was plenty of challenges, from his childhood. His singular sight about the difficulties experienced and subsequent critical sense about the ecological development shows that his ability to understand the world is very different from his economist friends.

How so this eco-social economist builds, in an articulated manner, concept(s) very helpful to the Local Development studies?

It is noticeable that Sachs builds his ideas about the dimensions of sustainable development, however for its concepts were developed, there was a need from a local level. Cristóvam Buarque (2002) mentions Ignacy Sachs as one of the great teachers and explains that he always began his studies from concrete ideas and local studies, trying to formulate his universal theories. The author also says show is very important to understand and study the local with the goal of establishing measures that could be worth globally.

In this sense, we may establish the concept that there is a need to address sustainable local development, obtained through the use of local potential; efficient public management; promoting social opportunities; viability of the local economy, a trying to allow the promotion of local competitiveness and focusing on conservation of local natural resources (BUARQUE, S., 2006).

Such definitions about the sustainability influenced studies and analyzes which consolidated theories on Sustainable Development, as the important contribution of John Elkington in 1994 that systematizing and illustrates the triple bottom line, better known as three main points the sustainability as explained in Figure 1.

Figure 1
Triple Bottom Line

In the traditional concept used by organizations, the sustainability was focused to financial gain. The transformation of this idea by companies, considering the other aspects of sustainability was more widespread after the Brundtland Report¹ (1987) coinciding with the concepts of sustainable development. This new way of understanding the sustainability provided a diverse background, because the global scene focused on economic gains ignoring the social and environmental (ELKINGTON, 1997).

3 HOW SACHS DEVELOPED HIS REASONING

To construct a concept, solid and concrete and also able to allow the intelligibility of a diverse proposed objects of investigation, as are the variations of the theme development, it is necessary much survey with appreciation, once we assumed conclusion, it changes the interaction between the established concept the priori and obtained facts in the investigation of reality. If in the quantitative research there are variables in order to solve what can't be predicted, the qualitative investigations turn to analysis categories and also the investigator evolves as far as the society began to modernize and establishing new paradigms.

Ignacy Sachs demonstrated this process in construction of his conceptual framework part, being able to draw a development trajectory, about a life experience. And even after establish a solid concept about the theme, he updated, keeping it always in evidence.

The spiral shape that the (re)construction is shown to us and about its reasoning can be interpreted with Learning Theories, more specifically, from those which build upon that solid Piagetian theory, according to Carvalho, Porto and Belhot (2001), who postulate that the bloke demands by freely express his/her ideas; be a part of the very medium transformation process; being wrong or right; always try to live with different situations learning to cope with the changes. So, who is involved in the construction of knowledge, awaken this ability to discover the new because of his/her constant interaction with the generator object of knowledge. It also helps to understand of how this spiral form called Gestalt Theory, that, the bloke would try in his/her previous knowledge the support for new structures.

Coming from the Learning Theories, pedagogy defined what we say that is the Learning Cycles (Kolb; Ginter and White Constructivist), which are not detailed object of this investigation, but in any of its forms has as main idea the existence of a cycle where the behaviors of other blokes, experiences, observations, and among others present in the process of social interaction, as drivers of transformation of the bloke (CARVALHO; PORTO; BELHOT, 2001).

The Figure 2 corresponds to the steps of the learning process as conceived by the author, Renato Belhot, in his free teaching thesis. From this we construct a spiral model, that on the constructivist mold it does not end in itself, so, it is constantly being fed and permanent working on the production of knowledge, which also occurs in the process. The elements And If; Why; What and How to transmit a round reflection and not linearly and when the researcher incorporates any of them, does it in a enlarged spiral perspective.

Figure 2
Learning Cycle - WwtHA - Continouns Process

So, we conclude that, Sachs formulated the concept of eco-development that, years later, would give origin to the expression for sustainable development. And that would be progress towards a vast list of concept development.

Sachs (1995) proposes that the concept of sustainability would be made with five distinct elements: social, working with inequality; economic, focused on the concentration of goods and riches; the ecological, aimed at preserving the environment and the environmental quality; the spatial, referring to the appropriate distribution of human settlements and, consequently, the territorial distribution and, ultimately, the cultural element, related to the need to avoid culture conflicts.

By analyzing these elements, we realize that there are several factors that interact with local and regional characteristics, in particular, also, with the normative aspects, administrative and institutional, related to the management and the degree of social participation, these are the issues that have the ability to influence local actions, directly or indirectly.

Continuing the constructivist model, demonstrating its constant transformation, Ignacy Sachs (2002) expanded to eight dimensions of sustainability that should be considered, being added to the previous three other new dimensions:

1-The environmental dimension: unlike the ecological responsibility is to respect and enhance the self-purifying capacity of natural ecosystems;

2- The (national) political dimension: it addresses the deliberate democracy under universal ownership of human rights, State development for achieving the national project, in partnership with all entrepreneurs and a reasonable level of social cohesion;

3- The (international) political: based on the effectiveness UN war prevention system, in the peace guarantee and the promotion of an international cooperation.

Several areas can interrelate to seek sustainability, in other studies, speaking about the agriculture, the economist mentions that Brazil, has a great potential in family farming, especially, not leaving aside the organized agriculture in traditional ways of hiring labor, having conditions to advance simultaneously on both fronts, providing that the current administrative dichotomy and subordinate to commercial farmers to sustainable development criteria, going to an effective agro-ecological planning, in order to allow the country the advancing towards a development socially inclusive and sustainable environment (SACHS, 2001).

By incorporating another turn in the spiral of knowledge, Sachs (2003) mentions that a need exists for a more social vision/human for the development, this being the insertion of the term inclusive, proposing to promote a new economic order, based on the principle of unequal treatment for the unequal (equity) promoting fair trade, developing the public assistance flow devoid of implicit commitments and transforming science and technology in public goods.

Also to contribute to the welfare of the population, the universal access to social services establishes itself as a key component to the tripod (3 points) of inclusive development, sustainable and sustained (SACHS, 2004). With these considerations he can interrelate his concepts of it in order to build a more specific balance and overwhelmingly to perform the triangulation.

Ignacy Sachs advocates the construction of an ecology of development, based on universal principles, when he says that the growing importance obtained by cultural particularism in the contemporary world presents, including, in the specific contexts of each country, for them to apply an appropriate development route (SACHS, 2007a).

Even with all the aforementioned considerations, development proceeds as master and lacks a social face given by the ethics of intergenerational solidarity and fairness embodied in a social contract. The full development can only be achieved by building a civilization of 'being', of the 'bloke', furthermore, the development implies the ecological caution for the sake of solidarity, imposed by the principle of economic efficiency when to comparing a macro social standard and not only for profitability (SACHS, 2007a).

Strengthening his formulations, Sachs (2007b) indicates that, for fixing the context of the development word, we should follow the modeling: the social concept in command, the ecological concept assuming the restriction and the economic concept replaced in its instrumental aspect.

In an effort to avoid adding to the noun development numerous adjectives as: economic, social, political, cultural, is sustainable and it is the socially inclusive development and consolidated when even Sachs says he prefer to use the term full development. (SACHS, 2010), here's another twist in spiral of knowledge, as referring to previous concepts, the theoretical already mentioned that development appears as a multidimensional concept, ratified by the abusive use of a number of adjectives that there is in it (SACHS, 1995).

In December 2014 was established at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP),one of the oldest universities in the country and Latin America, the Ignacy Sachs Chair, to encourage studies related to development, intensifying its academic activities related to the Sustainable Development theme (PUC-SP, s.d.). One of the programs presented by the Chair is the "LIS Program"- Innovative Leadership for Sustainability, created by an alliance between the academic and business sectors, with a learning system goal, which it claims to do rethink business models in its relation to all aspects that govern life. A clearer and deeper understanding of sustainability.

Concepts built during his intellectual trajectory, culminate in a new idea, of interrelation, that the intrinsic purpose is the compression, which shows the complex form of theme. So, the development that showed as a multifaceted concept and added to any adjective (economic, social, political, cultural, durable, practical and human) replaces itself.

The new ethics brought by the inclusive sustainable development aims to overcome the belief that the economy is an end in itself, taking out the view idea that humans are tool (replaceable and therefore devoid of dignity),when it becomes the center of the development process.

The qualitative demand growth, outlook achieves human well-being. It is built, then, the civilization of being, when man stop to be a price to equip itself with dignity. As soon as, It is meant as converge the applicability of these categories into concrete realities of research in Local Development.

4 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

The bibliographic research about the process of (re)formulation of Ignacy Sachs's concepts, enables to contribute to the theoretical construction of the Local Development studies, proceeding as it is possible to show the progression of their reflection from the local, as a concrete experience of the blokes and hence designed for the global.

His ideas may even receive an alone treatment, addressing only one or another of the eight dimensions that he thought over his reflective journey, however when addressing sustainability, involving the economic, social and environmental development, the sustainable development becomes a concern of all humanity and not just a matter of concern addressed by environmentalists.

Cardoso seems to see the future, when already in 1993, he characterized the Sachs's thought as an alternative approach, and as it is considered that the development need it lacks the objective of meeting the basic needs of man, leaving aside the notion of capital accumulation. Already at that time he pointed that this is a constant fresh perspective on many of the texts produced by government representatives in the globalized world. The author also discusses that an unified approach comes from the search for correcting wrong direction, which were drawn up by the economists focused on growth and not development.

To cover the basic man's need also means that the environment demand for attention with respect to the development concepts. Concepts that are not new, but only in recent decades finally deserve more attention.

Sachs reflection's (1976) we take as a starting point for the analysis, the knowledge spiral, emphasize that each region requires specific solutions regarding to the eco-development, considering the cultural and ecological aspects, as well as the immediate needs, and it is what corresponds to a given development model.

More than amorphous concepts, analysis categories are built in relation to the real. The Sachs's reflection contains nothing as topic as it relates to community development, he keeps the mind focused on changes and points out that there will be a reasonable development without the active participation of the referring to the limits, that consider the local resources, both human and natural (CARDOSO, 1993).These limits, so expensive to Local Development and that leverage when the blokes of its own history build its reality, which can be seized by the investigators through appropriation of this theoretical construct.

• 1
  Report by the World Commission about the Environment and Development, entitled Our Common Future published in 1987. In this document sustainable development is conceived as: the development that supplies present needs, without compromising the ability of future generations of to supply its own needs.

REFERENCES

• BARDIN, Laurence. Análise de conteúdo 6. ed. rev. e ampl. Lisboa: Edições 70, 2011. 280p.
• BELHOT, Renato Vairo. Reflexões e propostas sobre o "ensinar engenharia" para o século XXI 1997. 126p. Tese (Livre Docência) - Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos da Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, SP.
• BRESSER-PEREIRA, Luiz Carlos. Ignacy Sachs e a nave espacial Terra. Revista de Economia Política, v. 33, n. 2, p. 360-366, abr./jun. 2013.
• BUARQUE, Cristóvam. Ignacy Sachs: o professor humanista para o século XXI. In: SACHS, Ignacy. Caminhos para o desenvolvimento sustentável 3. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Garamond, 2002. p. 11-28.
• BUARQUE, Sérgio C. Construindo o desenvolvimento local sustentável: metodologia de planejamento. 3. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Garamond, 2006. 177p.
• CARDOSO, F. H. As idéias e seu lugar: ensaios sobre as Teorias do Desenvolvimento. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 1993. 244 p.
• CARVALHO, A. C. B. D.; PORTO, A. J. V.; BELHOT, R. V. Aprendizagem significativa em engenharia. Revista Produção, v. 11, n. 1, p. 81-90, nov. 2001.
• DIAMOND, J. Experiências internacionais de um cientista inquieto: entrevista com Ignacy Sachs. Estudos Avançados, São Paulo, v. 18, n. 52, p. 353-372, set./dez. 2004.
• ELKINGTON, J. Cannibals with Forks: Triple Bottom Line of 21th Century Business. Oxford: Capstone Publishing Limited, 1997.
• GENTIL, Valéria. De Ignacy Sachs, la troisième rive: à la recherche de l'écodéveloppement. Sociedade e Estado, Brasília, v. 26, n. 1, p. 269-274, jan./abr. 2011.
• LOPES, Carlos et al. Desenvolvimento, inovação e sustentabilidade Rio de Janeiro: Garamond, 2014. 228 p.
• MOURA, Valquíria Soares de. Caminhos para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Boletim de Geografia UEM Revista Produção on-line, Maringá, v. 31, n. 1, p. 145-146, jan./abr. 2013. Disponível em: <http://www.periodicos.uem.br/ojs/index.php/BolGeogr/article/view/17897/10251>. Acesso em: 11 out. 2015.
  » http://www.periodicos.uem.br/ojs/index.php/BolGeogr/article/view/17897/10251
• PIOVESAN, A.; TEMPORINI, E. Pesquisa exploratória: procedimento metodológico para o estudo de fatores humanos no campo da saúde pública. Revista de Saúde Pública, São Paulo, v. 29, n. 4, p. 318-325, 1995.
• PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DE SÃO PAULO (PUC-SP). Cátedra Ignacy Sachs [s.d.]. Disponível em: <http://www.pucsp.br/catedraignacysachs/catedra.html>. Acesso em: 20 nov. 2015.
  » http://www.pucsp.br/catedraignacysachs/catedra.html
• SACHS, Ignacy. Environment and Styles of Development. In: MATTHEWS, William (Ed.). Outer Limits and Human Needs Uppsala, Suécia: The Dag Hammarskjolf Foundation, 1976.
• ______. Em busca de novas estratégias de desenvolvimento. Estudos Avançados, v. 9, n. 25, p. 29-63, 1995.
• ______. Brasil rural: da redescoberta à invenção. Estudos Avançados, v. 15, n. 43, p. 75-81, 2001.
• ______. Caminhos para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Rio de Janeiro: Garamond, 2002. 95 p.
• ______. Que fazer para gerar empregos no Brasil? Estudos Avançados, v. 17, n. 48, p. 305-317, 2003.
• ______. Inclusão social pelo trabalho decente: oportunidades, obstáculos, políticas públicas. Estudos Avançados, v. 18, n. 51, p. 23-49, 2004.
• ______. A revolução energética do século XXI. Estudos Avançados, v. 21, n. 59, p. 21-38, 2007a.
• ______. Rumo à ecossocioeconomia: teoria e prática do desenvolvimento. São Paulo: Cortez, 2007b. 472 p.
• ______. Desenvolvimento, includente, sustentável sustentado Rio de Janeiro: Garamond, 2008. 152 p.
• ______. A terceira margem: em busca do desenvolvimento. Tradução de Rosa Freire d'Aguiar. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2010. 346 p.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  Apr-Jun 2016

History

• Received
  10 Sept 2015
• Reviewed
  16 Oct 2015
• Accepted
  23 Nov 2015