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