Development Can Be Defined In More Than One Way
Development can be defined in more than one way. Discuss.
The most developed countries are usually considered to be the USA, Japan, the UK and Germany as they have the most advanced economies suggesting that if a nation is growing economically it is then therefore developing. However development can and should be defined as more than just in an economic sense. Development can be defined in an economic, social, l and sustainable sense.
Most early measures of development have been economic based and countries have been grouped together by their economic development. Using measures of development such as GDP and GNP from post WW2 countries have been described as first, second or third world countries, developed or underdeveloped, described in relation of the Brandt line, MEDC or LEDC, FCC, OPEC and now today we use the development continuum of MEDC – BRIC – NIC – RIC – LEDC – LLEDC. Defining development in an economic way is important as economic development takes into account the impacts on people’s lives such as health, education, transport and employment.
Development of a country can also be defined as the ‘social development’ of a country. Social development includes political participation, personal freedom and quality of life. Goulet in 1971 recognised this and believed the three core values of development to be; life sustenance, self-esteem and freedom he thought these should be above other economic development factors. Some countries consider their social development to be more important than their economic development, for example Bhutan. In Bhutan, in 1972 the King coined the term GNH (Gross National Happiness) saying ‘Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product’. GNH takes into account mental, physical, social, workplace, political and environmental ‘wellness’ of the country. New measures are being more frequently used like HDI (Human Development Index) and or GEM (Gender Empowerment Measure) to measure social development of a
The most developed countries are usually considered to be the USA, Japan, the UK and Germany as they have the most advanced economies suggesting that if a nation is growing economically it is then therefore developing. However development can and should be defined as more than just in an economic sense. Development can be defined in an economic, social, l and sustainable sense.
Most early measures of development have been economic based and countries have been grouped together by their economic development. Using measures of development such as GDP and GNP from post WW2 countries have been described as first, second or third world countries, developed or underdeveloped, described in relation of the Brandt line, MEDC or LEDC, FCC, OPEC and now today we use the development continuum of MEDC – BRIC – NIC – RIC – LEDC – LLEDC. Defining development in an economic way is important as economic development takes into account the impacts on people’s lives such as health, education, transport and employment.
Development of a country can also be defined as the ‘social development’ of a country. Social development includes political participation, personal freedom and quality of life. Goulet in 1971 recognised this and believed the three core values of development to be; life sustenance, self-esteem and freedom he thought these should be above other economic development factors. Some countries consider their social development to be more important than their economic development, for example Bhutan. In Bhutan, in 1972 the King coined the term GNH (Gross National Happiness) saying ‘Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product’. GNH takes into account mental, physical, social, workplace, political and environmental ‘wellness’ of the country. New measures are being more frequently used like HDI (Human Development Index) and or GEM (Gender Empowerment Measure) to measure social development of a