Critiques

In Defence of Development

Tom Brass

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Paperback

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English

Haymarket Books
28 October 2025

Development economics

Critiques offers a compelling defence of development, showing that Marxist approaches to this contentious concept still have much to offer us today.

Tom Brass pushes back against claims that development is outdated, environmentally destructive and Eurocentric, arguing instead for the revival of a Marxist analysis focused on class struggle, economic production and redistribution. The book takes aim at two dominant interpretations of rural development: populism and postmodernism. Under the misleading guise of new paradigms, these approaches have sought to exorcise two ghosts: not just development itself, but also Marxist theory about development. The book includes a discussion of one aspect of the debate about racism

labour market competition

and asks why the reproduction of this ideology is more acute at some historical conjunctures but not others. This same question, Brass suggests, can also be asked about the ""industrial reserve"".

By: Tom Brass
Imprint: Haymarket Books
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 152mm, Width: 228mm,
ISBN: 9798888905562
Pages: 277
Publication Date: 28 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for Critiques: In Defence of Development

“Critiques: In Defence of Development is essential reading for anyone engaged in critical debates about development and its links to climate change, identity politics, and neoliberalism. Brass’s incisive analysis and unflinching defense of Marxist approaches provide a refreshing and necessary intervention in development discourse amidst the many complex challenges of today’s contemporary era. The book is a call for academics and practitioners to reassess the fundamentals of development and resist the dilution of economic struggles in favor of depoliticized critiques.” —Luthfiah, Alem Febri Sonni, and Rahman Saeni, Community Development