MSc student Sattrawut Bunruecha reflects on the recent launch of Sir Mark Lowcock’s book, The Rise and Fall of the Department for International Development. Watch the recording of the event here.
In a room buzzing with anticipation, a diverse crowd of students, alumni, and current and ex-civil servants gathered for the much-anticipated launch of The Rise and Fall of the Department for International Development. The event spotlighted two seasoned policymakers and authors who once shaped the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID): Mark Lowcock and Ranil Dissanayake.
Adding to the event’s excitement were the distinguished chair and discussants: Prof. Stuart Gordon, Prof. James Putzel, and Clare Short. Clare, who served as the first Secretary of State for International Development from May 1997 to May 2003, was praised by Mark and Ranil for her crucial role in crafting a bold and compelling vision for DFID.
As I sat in the Shaw Library, named after George Bernard Shaw, a Nobel Prize laureate, a founding member of the influential socialist organisation, the Fabian Society, and one of LSE’s founding figures, I did wonder what he might have thought about the rise and fall of DFID. Interestingly, as noted in the book, Clare’s vision for DFID coincidentally echoed the philosophical approach championed by the Fabian Society in the early 1960s. Established in 1997 by the Labour Government under Tony Blair, DFID swiftly rose to prominence as one of the world’s most respected international organisations, an organisation, in the words of Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, “transformed Britain’s position in the world.” This transformative role and enduring legacy lie at the heart of the book’s narrative.
While the book itself wasn’t intended as a traditional academic text, a cursory glance reveals its remarkable academic rigour. Drawing from the authors’ experiences within DFID and from interviews with over a hundred DFID ministers and staff, the authors crafted an insider’s account that is as insightful as it is reflective. The result is a rare behind-the-scenes narrative that offers lessons in both success and failure for the public and future developmentalists.
Both authors made it clear from the outset that this event wasn’t just about their book. It was about reflecting on DFID’s legacy: what it accomplished, what it could have done better, and what its story means for the future of development policy. Reflecting on its early days, Clare and the authors noted that such a department could only have been established when the world was infused with optimism and the government was enthusiastic and robust in its support. This sociopolitical climate allowed DFID to attract some of the brightest minds, all deeply committed to its transformative missions. So, it’s not just about having the right people in the right place at the right time, as Stuart wondered, but it’s more about staying committed to those big-picture and long-term goals central to DFID’s success.
Its crucial achievement, which earned both DFID and the UK international respect, was its leadership in reducing and eliminating global poverty, the core mission that defined its very existence. From the early 2000s until 2016, DFID made itsmost significant strides in combating global poverty, thanks in part to peak resource allocation during this period. Evidence also demonstrated that DFID also utilised these resources effectively.
As the book noted, even during the turbulent years of 2016–2020, marked by deep social divides and the Brexit crisis in the UK, DFID continued to function effectively in its mission to alleviate poverty. However, it could not withstand the political climate and was ultimately dismantled in 2020.
Lessons and Reflections on the Rise and Fall of DFID
Clare highlighted early on that achieving humanitarian goals requires agencies and institutions to establish systems capable of transforming funding into tangible progress, a mission that the DFID exemplified. Secondly, in a world preoccupied with short-term neoliberal gains, Clare emphasised the critical importance of long-term strategic thinking to drive meaningful progress. Her insights made it clear that a long-term vision, combined with bold and confident decision-making, must take centre stage in order to achieve ambitious goals over time. Equally vital, James stressed the need for profound analysis, intellectual rigour, and evidence-based advocacy, along with fostering partnerships. Finally, the book demonstrates the transformative potential of politics and political action. As James commented, this critical perspective should be explored more in the book. All these lessons serve as an invaluable reminder to guide us to approach our future work with purpose and conviction.
As an international development student, I found myself grappling with the questions James raised during the discussion: How did aid in the 1970s facilitate the expansion of military presence and economic interests of donor nations, and what were its broader implications for recipient countries? How can we bridge the financial gaps still faced by people in former colonies and the developing world? What is required to address the catastrophes such as climate change and ongoing wars? Perhaps reading this book will offer me some direction.
As a Thai studentinterested in UK politics and diplomacy, the talk left me reflecting on many questions: What is the UK’s current role in global humanitarian efforts? How can it reclaim its position as a force for good and an exemplar of international diplomacy? What lessons can be drawn from the rise and fall of DFID and the broader trajectory of UK foreign policy? And perhaps most intriguingly, will the current Labour government succeed in restoring the UK’s leadership on the world stage? These are pressing questions — that deserve a dedicated session for reflection, perhaps once again soon in the Shaw Library.
The views expressed in this post are those of the author and in no way reflect those of the International Development LSE blog or the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Featured image credit: LSE International Development
