Development Theory, Regional Politics and the Unfolding of the

The idea that ‘more roads mean more development ’ is part of conventional wisdom and is firmly entrenched in the development discourse and practice. However, what this stability and pervasiveness should not conceal is that arguments in favour of roads have evolved over time, shaping the expansion of the ‘roadscape’, that is, the part of the landscape made up by roads. I illustrate this point at three levels: global development theories, road construction in India and in Ladakh. First I demonstrate how arguments for road construction have evolved in the literature and adapted to criticisms, backing the firmly entrenched idea that roads are conducive to development. Second, I show that the expansion of the road network in India is determined by changing national priorities and policies. Finally, I attempt to account for the factors that explain the late and sudden development of the roadscape in Ladakh, namely, the role of the state and geopolitics. Together, the three levels illustrate the adaptive character of roads, as they survive successive shifts in theories and state priorities