Development Background to this section Return to the Development list In this site we consider development to be a movement towards a state of existance within which each person is free to pursue the life style and basis for living he or she desires. Naturally, such freedom is only sustainable if how we live our lives does not constrain others in any way. Our freedom should not be exercised in such a way as to restrict the freedom of others. But in moving towards that ideal, life can be easier if we have good health. This depends upon following appropriate actions at each stage of our life as well having adequate nutritious food and shelter. In addition, a sound education is that intangible good which can help us sustain that habit of learning, throughout life, so as to make informed decisions. Formal education is levered through practical training of some sort either in a profession or manual art since this enables us to provide adequate services or make useful goods for others in our society. In the end, it is our family group to whom we turn for encouragement and love. Any man or woman can go far in this world if his or her circumstances are adequately supported by the points outlined above and a supportive family or group. Development, in essence is about attaining this state of mutual collaboration, a productive life and the happiness which comes from those little achievements which either we, our parents, grandparents, children or grand children attain. If someone, from some other group, including non-Roma, achieves something, we feel happy for them and their family. We do not begrudge the success of others, we do not think it is wrong for others to be happy, for society to be content, peaceful and, yes, loving. Such a state of development depends upon society as a whole holding such values for their family and being sensitive enough to recognize these values in others, including strangers. Unfortunately, for many years now, many in western society look upon the culture of mutual development and supportive family values as primitive, largely because they do not understand them. They do not understand them because to understand one needs to have some experience of that state of mutual support. Because they do not understand, they are also blind to them. When they look upon a Roma they "see" whatever they have been told. They do not have the internal confidence to observe and see for themselves. Coming from a society with atomized families, how could they? This section will expand upon these matters. They are of fundamental importance simply because they are often the issues non-Roma over-look. Society as a whole has a condescending and patronizing attitude to Roma and often the people who are charged with "looking after our affairs" have no notion of our culture. If only people could recognize that by simply removing the prejudicial constraints which harm the Roma, then we can contribute more effectively to our own development in a socially productive way. We really don't need all these "hangers on". In reality our state of development is locked in a prison of prejudice arising from racism. This is characterized by educational denial, denial of the ability buy land or a house in some areas, refusal to allow us to open shops, refusal of provision of reproductive health services, refusal to pay for equivalent work, enforced sterilization of young Roma women. And yet the societies which carry out these deeds consider themselves to be civilized. They seem to imply that they have some superior objective for society, but where is it? what is it? By their actions and by the way they express themselves, it often seems to be the case that they feel that they know what is best for us. At least, even after over 600 years of this social nightmare sustained by so-called leaders and governments, our families remain our source of encouragement and support. Our families after so many years of enforced deprivation never encourage prejudice against others. We are attentive to see who is a good person and who is not. In general, we can honestly say that we are not racially prejudiced by nature for we know that this is a cancer which undermines development and the future of mankind.