Topic 1: Measuring Development Flashcards
What is the definition of development?
“Good change”:
It is the process by which societies change, progress, and evolve.
What are the main measures of development?
Economic
Social
Humanist
Poverty
What is economic development?
Where an economy grows, producing a larger amount of high-quality goods.
The economy changes from one based on subsistence agriculture to mass consumption and services.
What are the pros and cons of economic development?
Well, economic growth usually means living standards rise.
However, it often damages the environment and can increase inequality.
What areas does social development cover?
Education : Human Rights : Health : Democracy : Gender equality : happiness and well-being : sustainability.
Economic:
How is economic well-being measured?
Gross National Income:
The total value of good and services produced in an economy in a year.
Usually given per capita to allow for differences in population sizes.
Reveals dramatic inequality between developed and developing countries.
Economic:
How is GNI useful?
The changes in GNI from year to year give a measure of economic growth. Some economies are growing quicker than others, eg China.
Economic:
What is the issue with using the GNI to measure development?
- Doesn’t cover areas of social development (health etc)
- It is an average so conceals inequalities.
- Only counts what happens in the ‘official’ economy rather than production outside the market (growing my own food). Also leaves out domestic work, seen as gender-biased - Storey 2003.
- Fast growth often isn’t sustainable - environmentally and also accompanied by rising crime.
- Difficult to calculate accurately - 2008, Ghana’s was recalculated to be 60% higher than originally thought ($23 billion missed out).
Social:
What is the education social measure?
- Percentage of school-age children attending school.
- Literacy rate.
Social:
How is health measured?
- Child and IMR.
- Mortality rates in general.
- Maternal mortality rates.
- Number of doctors and hospitals in relation to the population.
Social:
What is the democracy measure?
- Are there free and fair elections in which everyone can vote?
- Are opposition parties allowed to organise?
Social:
Gender equality measurement?
Differences between males and females in education, health, politics and other measures.
Humanist:
What is the Human Development Index?
It is the UN’s measure for development.
It is calculated using GNI, education (mean years of schooling those who are 25 had and the expected years of schooling for those entering), and health (life expectancy).
Humanist:
What is an HDI score and who scored lowest/highest?
Each country’s score is between 0 and 1 (1 being highest).
Top 3: Norway, Australia, Switzerland.
Bottom 3: Niger, DRC, Central African Republic.
Humanist:
What is an issue with the health measurement for the HDI?
It doesn’t take into account spiritual health or sense of meaning.
Quite western in outlook.
