Chapter 10: International Community Development

Question 1

What is imperialism?

Answer 1

The taking of control of foreign resources to create an empire that benefits the imperialist nation; control can happen directly or indirectly, through force or negotiation

Question 2

How is international community development (theoretically) different from imperialism?

Answer 2

International community development is characterized by choice on the part of the affected nation; affected nations must make the decisions about and benefit from the processes and goals of change

Question 3

True or false: over time, the focus of international community development has shifted from human rights to economics

Answer 3

False: International development in the 1960s and 70s focused on economic development strategies that mostly benefitted the wealthier nation; starting in the 1980s, focus started to shift toward human development and sustainability

Question 4

What is the Human Development Index?

Answer 4

A numerical indicator ranging from 0 to 1, based on longevity, knowledge, and standard of living of a nation

Question 5

True or false: nations with higher Human Development Index scores reflect a higher standard of living and a more diversified economy

Answer 5

True

Question 6

True or false: a Human Development Index score of 0.3 or lower indicates that a nation has a low standard of living

Answer 6

False: a score of 0.5 or lower indicates a low standard of living

Question 7

According to the concept of “modernization” in early international development, developing countries move through these 5 stages of economic growth:

Answer 7

1. Traditional society (subsistence economy, barter systems, and high agricultural activity)
2. Preconditions for takeoff (increase in size and complexity of agricultural activities, growth in savings and investment, monetary value attached to surplus goods)
3. Takeoff (greater degree of industrialization, regional economic grown, reduction in number of agricultural workers, more diverse economy, increased technological advancement)
4. Drive to maturity (more extensive and sophisticated technology, economy is more stable and diverse, profits from surplus products invested in other industries)
5. High mass consumption (service industry a major employer, active involvement in global economy)

Question 8

What was the Green Revolution in international community development?

Answer 8

A 1960s development strategy aimed at rural sectors of low-income countries to significantly improve agricultural yields through irrigation, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and modern mechanized practices

Question 9

True or false: poorer countries benefitted from the “modernization process” of early international development

Answer 9

False: Some individuals benefitted as these countries began mass exports, but most were not sharing in these benefits or were becoming poorer (increasing wealth gap)

Question 10

True or false: economic indicators are reliable and effective indicators of development

Answer 10

False: they cannot reliably measure social problems like hunger, poverty, and health

Question 11

What triggered the breakdown of the imperialist system of international development in the 1960s?

Answer 11

Large numbers of former colonies becoming independent states and incurring significant “debts” towards their former colonizers

Question 12

What is the difference between “soft currencies” and “hard currencies”?

Answer 12

Soft currencies are associated with lower-income countries and are subject to much greater fluctuations in value; hard currencies are more stable

Question 13

How did the International Monetary Fund and World Bank attempt to prevent the global debt crisis in the 1980s?

Answer 13

-Prescribing terms and conditions for lending to low-income countries
-Requiring low-income loan recipients to make significant structural adjustments to ensure loans could be repaid (reduced social spending, shrinking governments, reducing subsidies on basic goods, removing import tariffs, removing foreign ownership rules)

Question 14

What is dependency theory in international community development?

Answer 14

The idea that economic activity in richer countries leads to serious economic problems in poorer countries (ex. through purchasing raw materials, then selling them back to the poorer countries for profit in the form of manufactured goods)

Question 15

True or false: To address the issue of wealthier countries selling poorer countries their raw materials back for profit in the form of manufactured products, international developers decided that this practice should be banned

Answer 15

False: instead, international development shifted its focus from economic to human/social development in an attempt to improve quality of life

Question 16

What does “empowerment” mean in international development?

Answer 16

The ability of nations to take control over their lives and, therefore, over their own development

Question 17

According to the United Nations, the world’s critical environmental problems stem from these two sources:

Answer 17

-Overwhelming poverty in low-income nations
-Unsustainable consumption and production patterns of high-income nations

Question 18

What does “sustainable development” mean in the field of international community development?

Answer 18

Meeting current human needs without threatening the ability of future generations to do the same

Question 19

True or false: A United Nations report concluded that current patterns of economic development were the cause of global environmental issues, and also that economic development should not stop.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

What 6 action areas were identified in Canada’s 2019 report on international assistance?

Answer 20

-Gender equality
-Human dignity (including health/nutrition and education)
-Growth that works for everyone
-Environment and climate
-Inclusive governance
-Peace and security

Question 21

What are the two categories of social capital at the international development level?

Answer 21

-Structural social capital (linkage between individuals, communities, and social institutions; decision-making; participation)
-Cognitive social capital (social norms, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social behaviours)

Question 22

True or false: People must perceive that they have a surplus of social capital before they are willing to invest in external endeavours

Answer 22

True

Question 23

What are some factors known to inhibit mobilization of social capital in international development? (3)

Answer 23

-Learned powerlessness (external locus of control)
-Lack of trust in government
-Dependency development (projects that supply resources from external providers and do little to empower local residents)

Question 24

True or false: the emphasis on international economic development in the 1960s and 70s widened the gap between the world’s richest and poorest nations

Answer 24

True

Question 25

What is “microfinance” in international development?

Answer 25

A mechanism for making capital available to local entrepreneurs; proven to be successful in restoring dignity and reducing dependency