Topic 1: Measuring Development

Question 1

What is the definition of development?

Answer 1

“Good change”:

It is the process by which societies change, progress, and evolve.

Question 2

What are the main measures of development?

Answer 2

Economic
Social
Humanist
Poverty

Question 3

What is economic development?

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

What are the pros and cons of economic development?

Answer 4

Well, economic growth usually means living standards rise.

However, it often damages the environment and can increase inequality.

Question 5

What areas does social development cover?

Answer 5

Education : Human Rights : Health : Democracy : Gender equality : happiness and well-being : sustainability.

Question 6

Economic:

How is economic well-being measured?

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Economic:

How is GNI useful?

Answer 7

The changes in GNI from year to year give a measure of economic growth. Some economies are growing quicker than others, eg China.

Question 8

Economic:

What is the issue with using the GNI to measure development?

Answer 8

• 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).

Question 9

Social:

What is the education social measure?

Answer 9

• Percentage of school-age children attending school.

- Literacy rate.

Question 10

Social:

How is health measured?

Answer 10

• Child and IMR.
• Mortality rates in general.
• Maternal mortality rates.
• Number of doctors and hospitals in relation to the population.

Question 11

Social:

What is the democracy measure?

Answer 11

• Are there free and fair elections in which everyone can vote?
• Are opposition parties allowed to organise?

Question 12

Social:

Gender equality measurement?

Answer 12

Differences between males and females in education, health, politics and other measures.

Question 13

Humanist:

What is the Human Development Index?

Answer 13

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).

Question 14

Humanist:

What is an HDI score and who scored lowest/highest?

Answer 14

Each country’s score is between 0 and 1 (1 being highest).
Top 3: Norway, Australia, Switzerland.
Bottom 3: Niger, DRC, Central African Republic.

Question 15

Humanist:

What is an issue with the health measurement for the HDI?

Answer 15

It doesn’t take into account spiritual health or sense of meaning.
Quite western in outlook.

Question 16

Humanist:

What criticisms are posed in relation to the statistics taken for the HDI?

Answer 16

• Figures aren’t always available for some countries.

- Not all important aspects of development can be measured quantitatively.

Question 17

Humanist:

How is the HDI useful?

Answer 17

It gives a broad impression of development and of the links between the economy and social well-being.

Question 18

Humanist:

Why is it helpful to compare GNI and HDI?

Answer 18

Those lower in HDI standings but higher in the GNI one shows that the wealth being generated isn’t being used for social development - eg UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Question 19

Humanist:

What does the Human Development Report include that the HDI doesn’t?

Answer 19

• The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
• The Gender Inequality Index (GII)
• The Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI)

Question 20

Humanist:

What is the MPI?

Answer 20

The replacement of the Human Poverty Index.

Poverty is multidimensional - looks at measures of health, education and living standards.

Question 21

Humanist:

What is the GII?

Answer 21

Measures the disadvantages faced by girls and women in reproductive health, empowerment (educational achievement and parliamentary representation) and participation in the labour market.

Question 22

Humanist:

What is the IHDI?

Answer 22

A total inequality measure which is directly compared against the HDI. The bigger the difference, the smaller the IHDI score.
If everyone is equal in a country, the scores will be the same.