Development — Class 10 Social Science
Economics — Understanding Economic Development · Chapter 1
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Chapter summary
Key ideas & terms
- Development
- Improvement in the income, quality of life and well-being of people.
- Per capita income
- The average income of a country, found by dividing national income by population.
- Human Development Index
- A measure combining income, education and health to rank countries.
- Life expectancy
- The average number of years a person is expected to live at birth.
- Literacy rate
- The proportion of the literate population aged seven years and above.
- Infant mortality rate
- The number of children who die before age one per 1,000 live births.
- Sustainability of development
- Using resources so that development can continue in the future.
- National income
- The total income of a country from all its goods and services.
Extra questions & answers
Why do different people have different notions of development?
Because people’s goals and life situations differ; the same change can be a development goal for one person and a problem for another.
Why is per capita income used to compare countries, and what is its limitation?
It gives the average income of a country, but it hides how income is distributed, so countries with the same average can have very different inequalities.
What does the Human Development Index measure?
It measures development using a combination of per capita income, education (literacy and schooling) and health (life expectancy).
Why are public facilities important for development?
Many needs such as health, education, security and clean water cannot be bought individually and are best provided collectively, raising the quality of life for all.
Why is the sustainability of development important?
Because overusing resources like groundwater and damaging the environment can stop development from continuing for future generations.
Why do different people have different notions of development?
Because people’s goals and life situations differ; the same change can be a development goal for one person and a problem for another.
Why is per capita income used to compare countries, and what is its limitation?
It gives the average income of a country, but it hides how income is distributed, so two countries with the same average can have very different inequalities.
What does the Human Development Index measure?
It measures development using a combination of per capita income, education (literacy and schooling) and health (life expectancy).
Why are public facilities important for development?
Many needs such as health, education, security and clean water are best provided collectively rather than bought individually, raising the quality of life for all.
Why is the sustainability of development important?
Because overusing resources like groundwater and damaging the environment can stop development from continuing for future generations.
WHAT DEVELOPMENT PROMISES — DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT GOALS
Let us try to imagine what development or progress is likely to mean to different persons listed in Table 1.1. What are their aspirations? You will find that some columns are partially filled. Try to complete the table. You can also add any other category of persons.
Farmers who depend only on rain may seek reliable irrigation, affordable inputs, fair crop prices and protection from crop failure. A rural woman from a land-owning family may want equal rights, freedom of movement, education, participation in family decisions and an equal share in property. An urban unemployed youth may seek a secure job with a fair salary and opportunities to improve skills. A boy from a rich urban family may want quality education, freedom to choose a career and a safe, healthy environment. An adivasi from the Narmada valley may want protection of ancestral land and forests, respect for cultural identity, access to education and healthcare, and fair rehabilitation if displaced.
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
1. Why do different persons have different notions of development? Which of the following explanations is more important and why? (a) Because people are different. (b) Because life situations of persons are different.
Explanation (b) is more important. People’s developmental goals are mainly shaped by their life situations, needs and difficulties. For example, a landless labourer may want more employment and better wages, while a prosperous farmer may seek higher crop prices. Their different circumstances lead them to think differently about development.
2. Do the following two statements mean the same? Justify your answer. (a) People have different developmental goals. (b) People have conflicting developmental goals.
No, the statements do not mean the same thing. Different goals may exist together without harming one another. Conflicting goals arise when achieving one person’s goal obstructs or harms another person’s interests. For example, an industrialist may want a large dam for electricity, while people whose land will be submerged may oppose it.
3. Give some examples where factors other than income are important aspects of our lives.
Important non-income factors include equal treatment, freedom, dignity, security, a healthy environment, friendship, family time, good working conditions, access to education and healthcare, and freedom from discrimination. A person may even prefer a lower-paying but secure and respectful job over a higher-paying job with unsafe conditions and no time for family.
4. Explain some of the important ideas of the above section in your own words.
Development means improvement in people’s quality of life, but its meaning differs according to their circumstances. People generally want higher income, regular work and better material conditions, but they also value equality, dignity, freedom, security and respect. Development for one person may sometimes be harmful to another, so fair decisions must consider the interests of all affected people.
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
Discuss the following situations: 1. Look at the picture on the right. What should be the developmental goals for such an area?
The area should have safe and affordable housing, clean drinking water, sanitation, drainage, electricity, waste disposal, schools, healthcare, secure employment and protection from pollution. Development should reduce inequality between the residents of the high-rise building and those living in poor shelters nearby.
2. Read this newspaper report and answer the questions that follow: (i) Who are the people who benefited and who did not?
The multinational company and the local disposal company benefited financially by getting rid of the toxic waste cheaply. The residents of Abidjan did not benefit; they suffered illness, deaths, environmental pollution and the loss of a safe living environment.
2. Read this newspaper report and answer the questions that follow: (ii) What should be the developmental goal for this country?
The country should aim for economic activity that protects human life and the environment. Its goals should include strict waste-disposal laws, corporate accountability, safe public-health systems, pollution control, medical support for affected people and a ban on using poor communities as dumping grounds.
3. What can be some of the developmental goals for your village, town or locality?
Possible goals include clean water, reliable electricity, good roads and public transport, quality schools and hospitals, sanitation, proper waste management, employment opportunities, affordable housing, public safety, equal treatment, green spaces and pollution control.
ACTIVITY 1
If even the idea of what constitutes development can be varied and conflicting, then certainly there can be differences about ways of developing. If you know of any such controversy, try to find out arguments advanced by different people. You may do so by talking to different persons or you may find it from newspapers and television.
One example is the construction of a large dam. Supporters may argue that it supplies electricity, irrigation and drinking water and helps control floods. Opponents may argue that it submerges forests and farmland, displaces communities, damages ecosystems and often provides inadequate rehabilitation. A fair decision should compare the benefits and costs, hear all affected groups, examine less destructive alternatives and ensure proper compensation and rehabilitation.
Average Income
Based on data given in Table 1.2, calculate the average income for both the countries.
For Country A, the total monthly income is
Will you be equally happy to live in both these countries? Are both equally developed?
No. Although both countries have the same average income, their income distribution is very different. Country A has a fairly equal distribution, while in Country B four people are extremely poor and one person is very rich. Therefore, Country A would generally provide a better standard of living for most citizens and the two countries cannot be considered equally developed.
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
1. Give three examples where an average is used for comparing situations.
Averages may be used to compare the average marks of students in different classes, the average rainfall of different regions and the per capita income of different countries.
2. Why do you think average income is an important criterion for development? Explain.
Average income shows how much income would be available per person if the country’s total income were divided equally among its population. It enables comparison between countries or states with different population sizes and gives a broad idea of their material standard of living.
3. Besides size of per capita income, what other property of income is important in comparing two or more societies?
The distribution of income is important. A society in which income is shared more equitably may provide a better life to most people than one with the same per capita income but extreme inequality.
4. Suppose records show that the average income in a country has been increasing over a period of time. From this, can we conclude that all sections of the economy have become better? Illustrate your answer with an example.
No. A rising average may hide unequal gains. For example, suppose the income of a small group of business owners rises sharply while the wages of most workers remain unchanged. The country’s average income may increase even though the majority has not become better off.
5. From the text, find out the per capita income level of about
The text states that countries with a per capita income of about
6. Write a paragraph on your notion of what should India do, or achieve, to become a developed country.
India should raise incomes while ensuring that prosperity is distributed fairly. It should create secure employment, provide quality education and healthcare for everyone, reduce poverty and discrimination, improve public infrastructure, protect the environment and ensure equal opportunities for women and disadvantaged communities. Development should strengthen freedom, dignity, public participation and the sustainable use of resources.
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
1. Look at data in Tables 1.3 and 1.4. Is Haryana ahead of Kerala in literacy rate etc., as it is in terms of per capita income?
No. Haryana has a higher per capita income, but Kerala performs better in the other indicators. Kerala has a literacy rate of
2. Think of other examples where collective provision of goods and services is cheaper than individual provision.
Examples include public transport, street lighting, sewage systems, waste collection, police and fire services, public parks, vaccination programmes, community water supply and government schools. Providing these collectively avoids duplication and allows many people to share the cost.
3. Does availability of good health and educational facilities depend only on amount of money spent by the government on these facilities? What other factors could be relevant?
No. Money is necessary, but outcomes also depend on honest and efficient administration, trained teachers and healthcare workers, proper infrastructure, regular attendance of staff, accessibility, public awareness, social equality, nutrition, sanitation and effective monitoring of services.
4. In a study, it was found that in Tamil Nadu,
People would probably be better off in rural Tamil Nadu because a much larger proportion used ration shops. A well-functioning Public Distribution System makes essential food grains available at affordable prices and can improve food security and nutrition, especially among poorer families.
ACTIVITY 2
Study Table 1.5 carefully and fill in the blanks in the following paragraphs. For this, you may need to make calculations based on the table.
Using the table, the completed values are: rural male literacy
(a) The literacy rate for all age groups, including young and old, is _____ for rural males and _____ for rural females. However, it is not just that these many adults could not attend school but that there are _____ who are currently not in school.
The blanks are
(b) It is clear from the table that _____ % of rural girls and _____% of rural boys are not attending school. Therefore, illiteracy among children in the age group
The blanks are
(c) This high level of illiteracy among __________ age group, even after more than
The blank is the
ACTIVITY 3
One way to find out if we are properly nourished is to calculate what nutrition scientists call Body Mass Index (BMI). This is easy to calculate. Let each student in the class find out his or her weight and height. Take the weight of each student in kilograms (kg). Then, take the height by drawing up a scale on the wall and measuring accurately with the head straight. Convert the height recorded in centimeters into meters. Divide the weight in kg by the square of the height. The number you get is called BMI. Then, look at the BMI-for-Age tables given on pages
BMI is calculated as
Example 1: Groundwater in India
(a) Why groundwater is overused?
Groundwater is overused because water is extracted faster than rainfall can replenish it. Intensive irrigation, water-demanding crops, growing cities, industries, population growth, cheap pumping and weak regulation all increase extraction.
(b) Can there be development without overuse?
Yes. Development can occur without overuse through rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, efficient irrigation such as drip systems, less water-intensive crops, reuse of treated water, regulation of extraction and community management of water resources.
Example 2: Exhaustion of Natural Resources
(a) Is crude oil essential for the development process in a country? Discuss.
Crude oil is currently important because it fuels transport, machinery and industries and is used to manufacture many products. However, it is not permanently indispensable. Countries can reduce dependence on it through renewable electricity, electric transport, public transit, energy efficiency, recycling and alternative industrial materials.
(b) India has to import crude oil. What problems do you anticipate for the country looking at the above situation?
India may face rising import costs, higher fuel and transport prices, inflation, pressure on foreign-exchange reserves and vulnerability to wars, supply disruptions and international price changes. Limited global reserves also make long-term dependence risky, so India needs to conserve petroleum and expand domestic renewable-energy alternatives.
EXERCISES
1. Development of a country can generally be determined by (i) its per capita income (ii) its average literacy level (iii) health status of its people (iv) all the above
(iv) all the above.
2. Which of the following neighbouring countries has better performance in terms of human development than India? (i) Bangladesh (ii) Sri Lanka (iii) Nepal (iv) Pakistan
(ii) Sri Lanka.
3. Assume there are four families in a country. The average per capita income of these families is
The total income of the four families is
4. What is the main criterion used by the World Bank in classifying different countries? What are the limitations of this criterion, if any?
The World Bank mainly uses per capita income to classify countries. This permits comparison between countries with different populations. Its limitation is that an average hides inequalities in income distribution and does not directly measure health, education, freedom, security, environmental quality or access to public facilities.
5. In what respects is the criterion used by the UNDP for measuring development different from the one used by the World Bank?
The World Bank mainly uses per capita income, whereas the UNDP uses a broader human-development approach. It considers income together with health and education indicators, such as life expectancy and years of schooling. Thus, the UNDP focuses more directly on people’s overall well-being.
6. Why do we use averages? Are there any limitations to their use? Illustrate with your own examples related to development.
Averages provide a single value that makes comparison between groups of different sizes easier. For example, per capita income allows two countries with different populations to be compared. However, averages hide disparities. Two villages may have the same average income, even though income is fairly shared in one village while a few rich households receive most of it in the other.
7. Kerala, with lower per capita income has a better human development ranking than Haryana. Hence, per capita income is not a useful criterion at all and should not be used to compare states. Do you agree? Discuss.
I do not agree that per capita income is useless. Income affects people’s ability to obtain goods and services and remains an important indicator. However, it is insufficient by itself. Kerala’s better literacy, school attendance and infant-survival figures show that health, education, public facilities and income distribution must also be considered when comparing states.
8. Find out the present sources of energy that are used by the people in India. What could be the other possibilities fifty years from now?
Present sources include coal, petroleum, natural gas, firewood, hydropower, nuclear power, solar energy, wind energy and biogas. Fifty years from now, India could depend much more on solar and wind power, energy storage, green hydrogen, improved hydropower, sustainable bioenergy, electric transport and possibly safer advanced nuclear technologies, while reducing fossil-fuel use.
9. Why is the issue of sustainability important for development?
Sustainability is important because development cannot continue if natural resources are exhausted or ecosystems are severely damaged. Present needs must be met without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development protects resources, health, livelihoods and long-term economic progress.
10. “The Earth has enough resources to meet the needs of all but not enough to satisfy the greed of even one person”. How is this statement relevant to the disscusion of development? Discuss.
The statement distinguishes genuine needs from unlimited consumption. Development should improve everyone’s quality of life, but wasteful use by a few can exhaust resources, increase inequality and damage the environment. Fair distribution, conservation and responsible consumption are therefore essential parts of development.
11. List a few examples of environmental degradation that you may have observed around you.
Examples include air pollution from vehicles and factories, polluted rivers and drains, plastic waste, cutting of trees, loss of green spaces, excessive groundwater extraction, noise pollution, soil contamination and the burning of garbage.
12. For each of the items given in Table 1.6, find out which country is at the top and which is at the bottom.
For Gross National Income per capita, Sri Lanka is at the top with
13. The following table shows the proportion of adults (aged
Kerala has a much better nutritional level. In Kerala,
13. The following table shows the proportion of adults (aged
Food may be sufficient nationally but not equally accessible to every household. Poverty, unemployment, unequal distribution, high prices, food wastage, weak public distribution, poor sanitation, disease, lack of nutrition awareness and discrimination can prevent people from obtaining or absorbing enough nutritious food.
ADDITIONAL PROJECT / ACTIVITY
Invite three different speakers to talk to you about the development of your region. Ask them all the questions that come to your mind. Discuss these ideas in groups. Each group should prepare a wall chart, giving reasons about ideas that you agree or do not agree with.
The wall chart may compare three viewpoints under headings such as employment and income, education and health, infrastructure, equality and environmental protection. It should identify proposals that the group supports, such as better schools, hospitals, public transport, clean water, secure jobs and renewable energy, and explain disagreements with proposals that cause displacement, pollution, unequal benefits or wasteful use of natural resources.