Reading

Big Book: 225-252

Review Questions 266

Gini coefficient, measures inequality. Closer to 0 is perfect equality, closer to 1 is complete inequality. South Africa is bad with 0.657 score

HDI is a composite index

Social Progress Indicators (SPIs) – 2024 one has 57 different indicators to measure development by social progress (meet basic human needs, allow citizens to enhance and sustain quality of life, create opportunity for indivs to reach full potential)

 

Review Questions:

Is it possible or desirable to measure development or other concepts by using a single index or indicator?

Each indicator will have its own purpose and bias ingrained in how it is setup. This poses issues if only one of these indicators or indices are taken seriously.

Are all factors impacting development equally easy to measure? If not, why?

Not every indicator of development has clear ways of being measured, some like a state's economic activity may be easier since it can be attributed to a number per capita, and although this has some limitations, it is far easier than corruption which can be a deep rooted issue in a state that affects many institutions and can be performed in so many ways that actually quantifying it is difficult.

What are the limitations of each of the proposed pathways to development discussed in this chapter

Modernization Theory:

- It gives the idea that all societies go through certain stages of development, simply at different rates. Adopting similar strategies that rich countries have used is not realistic, as those countries had gotten rich due to transferring wealth in the global south – thereby making poorer countries poorer

Dependency Theory (Neo-Marxism):

since the international system is largely based on economically liberal ideas, it will benefit all countries, both the rich and poor

Neoliberalism:

by removing ‘obstacles’ such as through deregulations there is more room for human rights violations or other harms (like environmental) if economic necessity is placed at the forefront of any state's goals.