The 1980 election of Ronald Reagan ushered in an era of less government, reversing the direction of many government programs. The 1994 Contract with America developed by Republican members of the 104th Congress continued the Reagan legacy, proposing less government support of technology development, the arts, and other programs that were seen as being outside the federal government's area of responsibility. Belief in Western values of progress has also extended to many developing countries. In the intervening years, it has become increasingly clear that problems experienced by developing nations, like those within developed nations, will not yield to simplistic solutions. Developing countries and assistance organizations now have a more sophisticated understanding of the development challenge, and development is no longer the exclusive province of Western agencies imposing solutions.
Local citizens are now more involved in voicing their own views of progress.
Doubtless, there will always be debates over how we can best encourage progress toward such goals as high quality health care, education, and economic development. Better understanding of citizen preferences, as well as the role of leadership, and public policy in determining our goals and how we will reach them, is crucial to pushing the debate further. I know that the progress of non-violence is seemingly a terribly slow progress. But experience has taught me it is the surest way to the common goal.