SOCIOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT
What is Development
Study Unit 3: Part 1
Lecture outcomes
After engaging with the materials of this study unit you should be able
to:
• Discuss the various forms of development
• Discuss what constitutes development
• Measure various forms of development
Conceptualising Development
• Development means progress or transformation in a range of areas
• It means the progress but should also involve the economic, social,
political transformmation which is not uni-dimensional but
constitutes of growth , structural change and distributive equity
amongst other things.
• The multidimensional process changes the economy including the
polity and society of the countries in which it occurs
• It requires greater international, economic links through increased
exports.
What constitutes development
1. Growth and Structural Change
• Development requires growth as well as structural change
• The main focus of an economy's activity shifts from the
primary, through the secondary and finally to the tertiary
sector.
• Countries in an early state of development(Less developed
countries); the main part of their national income is
achieved through production in the primary sector (fishing,
farming, mining and forestry)
• Countries with a medium national income (Developing),
generate their income mostly in the secondary sector.
• Highly developed countries with a high income, the tertiary
sector dominates the total output of the economy
• Less developing countries have limited opportunities for
people to work in the secondary and tertiary sector which
means it cannot adequately contribute to the economic
growth of these countries
What constitutes development
2. Distribution of income
• Development requires a relatively even distribution
of income resulting in improved incomes for all.
• It refers to the distribution of income that is 'fair,'
but the concept of 'fair' is subjective.
• A more equitable distribution of income may help
accelerate growth and promote economic
development. Distribution of wealth and income is
the way in which the wealth and income of a
nation are divided fairly among its population
• However the relationship between growth does
not always result in equity in fact evidence shows
inequality increases with growth, there are more
people with higher income levels. Brazil has a
higher GDP (Gross Domestic Product) but there are
higher levels of inequality among its population
What constitutes development
3. Modernisation
• Most development theorists argue that development requires societies
move traditional to modern societies through the process of
modernisation
• A country is said to be modernized when it has embraced modern and
advanced technology
• Emanating from the modernisation theory, economic development is
thought to emanate from growth through economic, industrialization,
socio-cultural and political transformation.
• However the concept of modernisation as an indicator of development
has been criticised because of diversities existing within one country
(differences economic growth in provinces within av country)
What constitutes development
4. Political Transformation
• Political growth must accompany economic
and socio-cultural growth
• This is referred to as Development democracy
• In East European countries like East Asia,
political freedom in increasing and has an
impact on economic growth
• In Africa development has not been equated
to political freedom (RSA and Zimbabwe)
• However this notion has been criticised
because democracies are not uniform
• Exact dimension of political change has also
been debated pertaining to its influence over
development
What constitutes development
5. Demographic Transitions
• Development implies improvements in
hygiene and sanitation leading to lower death
rates
• Development also results in the emancipation
of women these changes leads to a decrease
in birth rates resulting in a demographic
transition from high birth rates and low death
rates and finally to low birth and death rates
at the highest stages of development
• However although these demographic
transitions have been experienced in more
developed countries , death rates have fallen
faster than before, but birth rates are taking
longer to decrease
What constitutes development
6. Rural to Urban Migration
• Rural-urban migration has long been associated with
economic development and growth
• Due to the changes in the labour markets in the urban
industries there in an increase in migration patterns
from rural to urban areas as development takes place
• Rural–urban migration generally improves the living
standards of migrants
• People migrate for many reasons, including seeking
better jobs and education, or following family
members who have migrated. The decision to migrate
often results in improved conditions for migrants
The positive aspects of rural–urban migration are not
without negative consequences. Rural communities lose
human capital, particularly young adults who are
attracted to education and job opportunities in urban
centers.
What constitutes development
7. Improvements in education and health
• Due to the changes in structure of the
economy there is an increase and progress
towards education and health infrastructure.
• Education is fundamental to development
and growth.
• Education and health play a potential role in
the development of a country a key to
human capital accumulation and
development process.
• These factors have been identified as
measures of human capital development,
that ensure longer life and accelerate
economic growth
Measuring Development
• For many years economists and policy analysts have seen development as equivalent to
economic growth however it also requires growth of output as well as structural social and
cultural change
• Policy makers, Economists and statisticians use several methods to track economic growth.
The most well-known and frequently tracked is the gross domestic product (GDP).
• Measuring economic growth and quantifying this increases in the standard of living is not
always to quantify or equate to economic growth.
• The most commonly standard international measures are notably
1.the Gross National Product (GNP)
2. Gross domestic product (GDP)
3.HDI- Human Development Index
4. Basic Needs Index
5. Sustainable development Goals Indicies
Growth Domestic Product (GDP)
• This is the total quantity of goods and services in monetary terms
produced in an economy in a given economy in a given period of
time, usually one year.
• When comparing countries with different population sizes the
measure should be GDP per capita (per each person/per head)
• So to calculate GDP per capita across countries measurements
have to be converted to the same currency.
• GDP measures the domestic levels of production in a country, the
monetary value of all goods and services produced within a
nation's geographic borders over a specified period of time.
• In 2019 South Africa’s GDP figure in the third quarter was $70,613
million, ranking number 28 in the world
• Although growth is supposed to translate into improved living
conditions for the poor, these indices only (growth only) cannot be
seen as a proxy for development RSA GDP has not translated into
improvements of all its citizens
Gross National Product (GNP)
• GNP measures the levels of production of all the citizens or corporations of
anyonefrom a particular country working or producing in any country (South
African or South African owned company whether in South Africa or outside
south Africa)
• For example, the American GNP measures and includes the production levels
of any American or American-owned entity, regardless of where in the world
the actual production process is taking place, in terms of the citizens' output.
• Therefore, it includes the income received by nationals working or investing
abroad. GNP of US is $250 billion greater than its GDP because the actual
production taking outside America.
• GNP is less commonly referred to than GDP, but is best described as the
measure of national output.
From economic to humanist
measurements of development
• Although many developing countries achieved higher rates of growth,
poverty and inequality had worsened (RSA)
• A failure of economic growth to achieve better life conditions for the
poor, there was a shift from economic development to humanist
development. The following are some of the broader measures of
development with a humanist perspective:
1. Basic Needs Index (BNI)
2. Human Development index (HDI)
Basic Needs Index
• BNI measures development in terms of the satisfaction of basic
human rights like adequate food, shelter and clothing
• Essential services like safe drinking water, sanitation, health and
education should be available for all people
• In addition to increase the chances of economic progress provision of
basic needs should be on a sustainable basis
• The achieve higher BNI the basic necessities of life should be made
available to the majority of the people
• Critique: there is no conclusive relationship between GNP/GDP and
basic needs
Human Development Index
• The human development index measures the average achievement of
countries in 3 basic dimensions of human development longevity,
knowledge and decent standard of living
• Life expectancy levels are used to measure longevity, whilst adult
literacy enrolment in primary, secondary and tertiary education
reflect educational achievement
• The HDI has also been extended to allow for inequalities for
achievement between men and women (the gender related
development index)
Millennium Development goals
• Whilst it is accepted that there are many problems with indices of this
kind a recent emergence of the MDGs has been put to the fore to
measure development
• These goals aim to reduce extreme poverty by achieving universal
primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality ,
combat HIV/AIDS , Malaria and other diseases.
• The ability of an economy to finance health, education, sanitation and
other welfare measures must depend upon the income of its economy
• The ability of individuals to purchase food, clothing shelter as well as
education and health facilities must depend upon their individual
incomes
• A point to note is that what causes growth in one area might be a factor
of low growth in another context.
