ETYMOLOGICAL BACKGROUND AND LEVELS OF MEANING – TOWARDS AN ADEQUATE DEFINITION OF ECONOMICS

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PRELIMINARY REMARKS

This introductory chapter seeks to show the general structure of the study “A Theological Ethical Framework for Economic Development: The case of Zambia”. It is divided into the following sections namely: preliminary remarks, background and rationale, problem statement, main argument and point of departure, research objectives, methodology, structure of chapters, literature review, and study relevance.

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

The background and rationale for this study is the economic evolution in Zambia and how this has impacted on the most ordinary of Zambian citizens and on the Zambian physical environment in the period 1964 to 1999. The economic impact on Zambia, in general, and on ordinary Zambians, in particular, has, more often than not, significantly compromised the social imperatives. Environmentally, it has contributed to a gradual harm of environmental wholeness. The economic impact includes both internal and external forces which totalled up to produce the current state of under-development 1 with potential for environmental destruction if corrective measures are not taken.

MAIN ARGUMENT AND POINT OF DEPARTURE

This thesis argues that Christian theology (including ethics) does indeed have something to offer to the current debate and thinking about economic development, as a voice among many. Its contributions are in the form of Christian insights and perspectives which can positively influence the development process. This involves a clear presentation of moral criteria which is founded on the Biblical witness. And then, a broad framework needs to be constructed as an intellectual and practical matrix within which to explicate such moral criteria. In other words, there is an urgent and timeous need to present a normative basis which would capture Christian theological and ethical reflection on economic development.

To formulate a comprehensive Christian concept of salvation

Rather than exclusively the spiritual emphasize salvation of human souls, this study will endeavour to situate the theme of salvation in concrete day to day circumstances. The salvation of God through Christ is a matter for the now and the future because even though the Kingdom of God has not yet fully come, it is a present reality. Relating the eschatological present to the eschatological future is an objective which this study would like to achieve.

Declaration
Acknowledgement
Dedication
Abstract
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 PRELIMINARY REMARKS
1.2 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
1.4 MAIN ARGUMENT AND POINT OF DEPARTURE
1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.5.1 To formulate a comprehensive Christian concept of salvation 8
1.5.2 To develop an adequate theology of economic development 8
1.5.3 To evaluate economic development programmes in Zambia, 1964-1999, from the standpoint of a theological-ethical framework
1.5.4 To develop guidelines for churches’ participation in the economic development of Zambia
1.5.5 To find the right balance between modes of moral discourse as Zambian churches participate in Zambia’s economic development 9
1.6 METHODOLOGY
1.7 STRUCTURE OF CHAPTERS
1.8 LITERATURE REVIEW
1.9 STUDY RELEVANCE
CHAPTER 2: ECONOMICS: A REVIEW OF DEFINITIONS AND PERSPECTIVES
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 ECONOMICS: ETYMOLOGICAL BACKGROUND AND LEVELS OF MEANING – TOWARDS AN ADEQUATE DEFINITION OF ECONOMICS
2.2.1 General etymological perspectives
2.2.2 Economics: a definition – secular viewpoints
2.2.3 Economics: a definition – Christian religious views
2.2.4 A short evaluation of secular and Christian definitions
2.3 ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2.4 ECONOMICS AND SCARCITY
2.5 ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
2.5.1 Capitalism
2.5.2 Socialism
2.6 ECONOMICS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
2.7 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3: HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ZAMBIA: 1964-1999
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 VISIONS OF A RECONSTRUCTED ZAMBIA: A BRIEF STATEMENT
3.3 POLITICAL LIBERATION, INDEPENDENCE AND DECOLONISATION: SETTING THE CONTEXT FOR NATION-BUILDING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
3.3.1 Towards a humanist state
3.3.1.1 Within the frontiers of Zambia
3.3.1.2 Implications of humanism beyond the Zambian border: support for the liberation struggle in Southern Africa
3.3.2 The “masked” role of the opposition: creation of a one-party participatory democracy
3.4 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE EARLY POST INDEPENDENCE ERA: 1964-1976
3.4.1 Foundational economic planning
3.4.2 The economic development process: The humanist and socialist agenda
3.4.3 A re-organised economy: from private capital to state capital 1
3.4.3.1 Zambianisation and the promotion of Zambian private sector entrepreneurship
3.4.3.2 Early industrialisation and the nationalisation programme
3.4.3.3 Foreign-controlled enterprises in the context of nationalisation
3.4.3.4 The post-Mulungushi business scenario
3.4.4 The mining industry, agricultural development and the diversification programme
3.5 ECONOMIC SLIDE OF THE MID 1970s TO 1979
3.5.1 Impact of external shocks on the mono-economy of Zambia
3.5.2 Responding to the aftermath of the economic slide and the test of humanist objectives and ideals: discontinuity between theory and practice
3.6 STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT IN THE 1980s: AN OVERVIEW 13
3.7 STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT AND MACROECONOMIC STABILISATION IN THE 1990s: A BRIEF PRESENTATION 1
3.7.1 A bloodless revolution: the re-birth of free enterprise and multipartism
3.7.2 Pursuit of hardcore capitalism: a paradigm shift from state capital to private capital
3.7.2.1 Theoretical intentions of new government and economic reform: towards a liberalised economy and macroeconomic stability: 1992-1999
3.7.2.2 Denationalisation and the privatisation programme: The embodiment of the neoclassical model in the economy
3.8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4: THE CHURCH AS AN INSTITUTION: A HISTORICAL SURVEY OF ITS RESPONSE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ZAMBIA
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 MISSIONS, THE MISSIONARY CHURCH, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN RHODESIA: A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
4.2.1 Foundational role of Dr David Livingstone: christianity, commerce and civilisation
4.2.2 The missionary enterprise: “evangelisation through education” a preparation for nation-building and economic development
4.2.3 The missionary church and the emerging industrial economy: the general missionary council and the united missions to the Copperbelt
4.3 THE POST-INDEPENDENCE CHURCH IN ZAMBIA AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: “AN INSTITUTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, EVANGELICAL AND ‘NARROWLY’ SOCIAL CHURCH” – THE CASE OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA
4.3.1 A short historical background of the United Church of Zambia: “streams which formed a lake”
4.3.2 An analysis and evaluation of the constitution, doctrine, worship, government and discipline of the United Church of Zambia: Is
economic development an ecclesial and missiological agenda item?
4.4 THE CONTEMPORARY ZAMBIAN CHURCH AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: THE RENEWED ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT AND MACROECONOMIC STABILISATION IN ZAMBIA
4.4.1 The dawning of the new era of ecclesial involvement
4.4.2 The leading role of the Roman Catholic Church in Zambia: bridging the gap between the spiritual and the material bases of the proclamation of gospel, and between the ethical-prophetic task and the role of the church to understand specific problems of basic economic policy
4.5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5: THE NORMATIVE BASIS OF A THEOLOGICAL-ETHICAL FRAMEWORK
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: DOES THEOLOGY HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?
5.3 MORAL CRITERIA AS PART OF A NEW POINT OF DEPARTURE AND MODEL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
5.3.1 Moral criteria from Christian theology and ethics
5.3.1.1 The holistic mission of Jesus
5.3.1.2 The primacy of human dignity
5.3.1.3 The necessity of justice
5.3.1.4 An ethic of care and sociality
5.3.1.5 A synthesis of moral criteria from Christian theology and ethics 2
5.3.2 Moral criteria from shared human experience: a brief discussion 2
5.3.3 A summary of moral criteria and their implications
5.4 THE CONCEPT OF STEWARDSHIP: TOWARDS THE QUEST FOR A NEW POINT OF DEPARTURE AND MODEL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
5.4.1 From scarcity to stewardship
5.4.2 The broad outlines of stewardship
5.4.3 Main implications of stewardship for society and economic development
5.4.3.1 The relationship between moral criteria and stewardship implications: a brief note
5.4.3.2 General implications for society
5.4.3.2.1 All resources and all property belong to God
5.4.3.2.2 Humans are stewards of God’s resources and property
5.4.3.2.3 Human stewardship is for the life, health, and fulfilment of the human community and other non-human realities
5.4.3.2 Stewardship implications for economic development
5.4.3.2.1 Stewardship as a point of departure and model for production,
distribution and consumption
5.4.3.2.2 Stewardship and the preservation of community, the environment, and a sustainable future
5.4.3.3 Stewardship implications for humans and human institutions
in the light of economic development
5.4.3.3.1 Stewardship and government
5.4.3.3.2 Stewardship, industry and business
5.4.3.3.3 Stewardship, social groups and civil society
5.5 AN EVALUATION OF STEWARDSHIP IN THE LIGHT OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF RUNNING A MODERN ECONOMY
5.6 A CHECKLIST OF A SET OF PRINCIPLES TO BE USED IN THE EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
5.7 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 6: AN EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND GUIDELINES FOR CHURCHES’ PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ZAMBIA
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 AN EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES FROM A THEOLOGICAL-ETHICAL FRAMEWORK
6.2.1 An evaluation of economic development programmes
6.2.1.1 Economic development programmes as a whole: 1964-1999
6.2.1.2 Specific economic development programmes
6.2.1.2.1 Nationalisation
6.2.1.2.2 Privatisation
6.2.1.2.3 An aggregate evaluation of economic development programmes
6.2.2 A summary of the evaluation by the checklist of a set of principles
6.3 GUIDELINES FOR CHURCHES’ PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: THE APPROPRIATION OF ATHEOLOGICAL-ETHICAL FRAMEWORK
6.3.1 Endogenous guidelines
6.3.1.1 Appropriation begins within ecclesial life
6.3.1.1.1 Constitutional appropriation
6.3.1.1.2 Doctrinal appropriation
6.3.1.1.3 Liturgical appropriation
6.3.1.1.4 Administrative appropriation
6.3.1.1.5 Appropriation into ecclesial resource management
6.3.1.1.5.1 Resource gathering and expansion: towards the biblical metaphors of sowing and planting
6.3.1.1.5.2 Resource planning and utilisation
6.3.1.1.5.3 Accountability and transparency
6.3.1.1.6 Appropriation is demonstrated in daily living
6.3.2 Extragenous guidelines
6.3.2.1 Appropriation extends to the immediate community
6.3.2.1.1 The meeting of social and moral needs
6.3.2.1.2 The meeting of environmental needs
6.3.2.2 Appropriation extends to business houses
6.3.2.2.1 Calling business houses to social responsibility
6.3.2.2.2 Calling business houses to environmental responsibility
6.3.2.3 Appropriation extends to government
6.3.2.3.1 Calling government to the preservation of community, the environment, and a sustainable future
6.3.2.3.2 Calling government to model political economy on the notion of stewardship
6.3.3 Summary of the ecclesial appropriation process
6.4 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 7: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THE WAY FORWARD
BIBLIOGRAPHY