Public Sector Reforms in the Third World: the Rhetoric of Modernization in Nigeria

Development is a process and product of social change that reflects the social condition of a people or group. As a process, it is a conscious and programmed effort of such people to improve, reform, change, adjust or change rules, norms, structures and procedures that hinder the society from maximizing the use of nature for actualizing a good standard of living. The processes and principles guiding them are simply termed reforms. Reforms are therefore socio-culturally oriented and differ from people to people, and region to region. These differences are defined by differences in culture, values, environment, ability and goals because their needs differ. Each can not assess the other's development or impose their own processes on others because of their peculiar environment and socio-cultural values and needs. On this lies the root of the crisis of development in the Less Developing Countries (LDCs). This book explores the link between Nigeria's public sector reform experiences, their link with Western imposition of their institutions and rules through international financial institutions, and the development outcome of these reforms.