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The History of International Development: Past, Present and Future
What…
The History of International Development: Past, Present and Future
What is International Development?
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Module 2 LO: Identify the important historical trends in thinking about poverty - i.e., how do we define poverty and how do we know when it exists?
Poverty can be considered differently depending on the approach. Economic developers think of poverty as an "income issue" where as social developers analyze poverty based on the aspects of what it means to be "human" beyond their income and how their access to opportunities can be increased
The poverty line was invented in the 19th Century and has been updated several times to reflect the current poverty situation. Those who are considered in absolute poverty make around $1.90 per day
The terms "relative" and "absolute" poverty are used when talking about poverty levels of a population. We use the term "relative poverty" when analyzing a population in terms of their average environment. We use "absolute poverty" when individuals are unable to meet their basic needs and earn less than $1.90 a day
This article explains how the town of Reading, PA has nearly 40% of its population living in poverty yet there are still that 1% of people who have multi-million dollar companies in the same town. This article further shows that there are inequalities with wealth distribution whether it's due to geography, family ties or job security
Human Development and the Capabilities Approach: I like to think that poverty is better understood at a social perspective rather than an economic one because there are so many outside factors that determine poverty that doesn't concern income.
Every person has their own idea of what poverty is or should look like and that is why countries that have a large population of impoverished people need to build upon their current capabilities and work on providing opportunities (how can I expand their freedoms and future opportunities to secure a life of respect and dignity?)
Module 3 LO: Analyze the challenges to UNSC functioning: Cold War rivalries, national sovereignty, and lack of political will
The UNSC's primary ruling power stems from the countries considered as the P-5 (US, UK, France, China and Russia)
This core group possesses the veto power meaning a resolution will fail to pass if a member disagrees with it
This power became somewhat of an issue during the Cold War era due to its frequent use by the US and Soviet Union
Many also see that the use of the veto and the resolutions that do or do not pass are strictly at the interests of the countries involved in the P-5 (lack of political will)
This article lays out how the P-5 can be considered to be in too much control of decisions, leaving developing countries and their interests behind when discussing and implementing development processes
Economic and Human Development: For this instance, I believe that both of these approaches can be utilized. It is not that these P-5 countries lack "political will" or disregard "national sovereignty," it is just that they only want to make a decision if it meets their interests. This mindset somewhat delves into economic development (trade and aid) but leaves behind human development. I remember discussing this in our meeting earlier in the semester and mentioned that these countries need to put aside their interests at times and collaborate with one another to make the world a better place
Module 4 LO: Review the histories, missions, and functions of the Bretton Woods Institutions: The World Bank, the IMF, and the WTO
The World Bank: provides financial and technical assistance to member countries (uses traditional loans and interest free credit and grants, helps with economic stabilization, was first created after WWII to fight poverty, support new economic growth and ensure sustainable gains in the quality of life for each individual
The IMF: an organization of 190 countries that work together to ensure global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability and facilitate international trade, primary purpose of this institution was to promote stability of the international monetary system, created in 1945 with a new mandate being issued in 2012
The WTO: an organization of 160 members the primary purpose of this institution was to ensure that trade flows smoothly and as freely as possible, acts as a forum for negotiating trade and settling trade disputes, previously known as GATT from 1948-1994
Each of these institutions have faced heavy criticism due to their past neoliberal policies and their willingness to aid those countries who pay (reminds me of a "pay to play" situation), This cartoon depicts how the inequality of aid is distributed by asking all of these different animals the same task knowing it will be nearly impossible for the majority
Economic Development: Each of these institutions were created for the sole purpose of reviving the post-war economy. Each had a specific function of how that would be done and possessed the framework to be utilized for generations to come; these institutions went through a controversial development period in the 1980's with the rise of "neoliberalism" and the Washington Consensus
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