Inclusive development in Asia: raison d’être and approaches

Abstract

Asian countries are arguably the current global leaders in pursuing inclusive development policies, strategies and interventions to address the overarching problems of poverty, inequality and exclusion. This article focuses on inclusive development in Asia by first highlighting certain philosophical perspectives to the subject that include roots in ancient China and India. Next, the raison d'être for inclusive development is outlined. The current and emerging approaches to inclusive development in Asia are then discussed, including a three-fold typology. Finally, brief concluding remarks are offered. Whether the inclusive growth agendas will result in a modicum of success in tackling poverty, exclusion and inequality remains an open question. However, given the global financial and economic crises, a paradigm shift in Asia is inevitable if both high sustainable growth and inclusive development are being pursued.