The satisfaction of basic needs-old demands, new strategies

The basic-needs strategy is a response to the shortcomings of one-sidedly growth-oriented development concepts. Instead of focusing on growth or employment, as hitherto, the new development strategy now focuses on elimination of mass poverty in the Third World countries. The basic-needs concept of the International Labour Office, presented in this article, claims to offer a new programme of action to supersede conventional development strategies. Is this claim justified, and what hope of success is there for the new concept?