Defining
Development
Problems
boundaries not
clear cut
increased
changes
growth of Newly
Industrialised Countries
(NICs) Taiwan + S.Korea
disappearance of communist
2nd world countries
Soviet Union + Poland
addition of emerging
market countries
confusion over labels
given to countries at
different levels
- less developed = 'developing/3rd world'
- seen as condescending + stigmatising
- and so now called 'The South' as
more acceptable
The North and
South Divide
most well known effort to group
MEDCs + LEDCs
created by Willy Brandt
in the 1980s
visual depiction
of N-S divide
- encircles world at latitude of
30° North - passing between N + Central
America, N of Africa + Middle East - climbing N over China + Mongolia
- dipping south to include Australia +
New Zealand
RICH NORTH above line
POOR SOUTH below line
ways in which
measured
WEST = fixation on wealth +
economic growth
but socially + culturally
MEDCs + LEDCs no way
'less developed'
generally case that wealthiest
countries are happiest ones
should development be
measured by how happy
a country is?
some countries have rapidly
developed + have large economic
growth... but no rise in people's life
satisfaction for better
- EXAMPLE - **China - no happier than
were 25 years ago** - degree of happiness contrasts with growing
per capita income in China over past 25yrs - actually dropping happiness due to rising unemployment + fraying social safety nets
we impose a western/Eurocentric
view of what perfect country should be
EXAMPLE - is our system of democracy
only acceptable form of government?
United Nations Human Development Report 1990
described development - process that 'created environment in which people enjoy long, healthy, creative lives'
emphasis moved from wealth to how wealth can
improve quality of life