The aim of this theoretical consultation is to set the beginning of colonial development using two seemingly contradictory concepts that often appear next to each other in history -the authoritarian and the liberal governmentality. Within this framework, the paper follows the transformation from immanent to intentional development, which is the basis of authoritarianism and the shift of the term development to its social content, which is the basis of the liberal governmentality. The paper also analyzes the reasons for the origin of development during colonialism and asks the question of the continuities and discontinuities between the colonial and postcolonial era to show elements of authoritarianism and liberalism that coexist until today.