This chapter introduces the idea of development and how it is measured. It begins by showing that different people have different developmental goals, and that what is development for one may be destructive for another. Besides higher income, people seek other goals such as equal treatment, freedom, security, respect and a good environment. The chapter explains how countries are compared using average or per capita income, but points out its limitations, since averages hide how income is distributed among people. It introduces broader measures of development used by the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report, which combines income with health and education indicators such as literacy rate, net attendance ratio, life expectancy and the Human Development Index. The chapter also discusses public facilities like schools, clinics and clean water as essential for a good quality of life, and warns about the sustainability of development, since resources like groundwater and the environment must not be overused if development is to continue for future generations.
Different developmental goalsIncome and other goalsComparing countries by average incomePublic facilities and quality of lifeThe Human Development IndexSustainability of development
Key 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
WHAT DEVELOPMENT PROMISES — DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT GOALS
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
ACTIVITY 1
Average Income
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
LET’S WORK THESE OUT
ACTIVITY 2
ACTIVITY 3
Example 1: Groundwater in India
Example 2: Exhaustion of Natural Resources
EXERCISES
ADDITIONAL PROJECT / ACTIVITY
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Per capita income is found by dividing national income by:
Flashcards & interactive practice
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