Alliances in this game play a big part in nation development... if you're tiny. Of all the alliances I have been in, zero have had any sort of development programme or strategy for the largest amongst them. Instead we are used as war cattle, and aid pots. Most of the time our nations just sit there, buying tech every now and then. Sometimes, we are even persuaded to buy tech at a discounted rate, again for the beenfit of the small nations.
I've come to wonder if this is the same situation throughout Bob. Or perhaps you know of an alliance which does have a strategy for such nations? Most of all though, I'm interested in hearing ideas on what could be done!