The book is a study on the Asian region and the impact of various development programmes of the region. Leading policy makers and scholars: Godfrey Gunatilleke, NeelanTiruchelvam and RadhikaCoomaraswamy of the Marga Institute analyse the consequential human costs as a result of these development strategies. The book highlights three key factors upon which the quality of development depends. First, the system making a choice must be aware of its imperfection. Second, it must have a sustained concern for what is lost in human terms through its choice. Finally, the system must possess built-in motivations to restore what is lost. Among other issues analysed are the attempts to reconcile traditions and development goals, ethnic conflict and the struggle to extend equality in societies in the respective countries in the region. The contributors have also developed a normative framework, recognizing Asian cultures and traditions, to measure development of specific countries.