Concept and dimension of development
Economic Growth-is an increase in the production of goods and services over a specific period. To be
most accurate, the measurement must remove the effects of inflation. Economic growth creates
more profit for businesses. As a result, stock prices rise. That gives company’s capital to invest and hire
more employees. As more jobs are created, incomes rise. Consumers have more money to buy
additional products and services. Purchases drive higher economic growth. For this reason, all countries
want positive economic growth. This makes economic growth the most watched economic indicator.
Increased welfare and human development-Human development also encompasses elements that
constitute the critical issues of gender and development. There are four major elements in the concept
of human Development such as productivity, equity, sustainability and empowerment. As far as
productivity is concerned people must be enabled to increase their productivity and to
participate fully in the process of income generation and remunerative employment to
achieve higher economic growth, which is a subset of human development models.
Productivity is not the only means to achieve welfare in a society. People must have access to
equal opportunities. All barriers to economic and political opportunities must be eliminated
so that people can participate in, and benefit from, these opportunities. These benefits also
need to be distributed over generations. Access to opportunities must be ensured not only for
the present generation but for future generations as well. All forms of capital such as
physical, human and environmental should be replenished. Besides, empowerment is a
necessity as regards human development is concerned. People must participate fully in the
decision making process that can shape their lives.
Modernization-refers to an attempt on the part of the people particularly those who are custom-bound
to adapt themselves to the present-time, conditions, needs, styles and ways in general. It indicates a
change in people’s food habits, dress habits, speaking styles, tastes, choices, preferences, ideas, values,
recreational activities and so on. It is a thorough going process of change involving values, norms,
institutions and structures .It implies an inherent change in the mode of life in a particular direction for
attaining modernity. Identify the social variables that contribute to social progress and development of
societies and seeks to explain the process of social evolution.
Elimination of Dependency- is a sociological theory which holds that economic events in history have
encouraged developing countries to depend upon the support of more advanced nations. This
dependence prevents developing nations from fully creating institutions and infrastructure necessary for
their full transition into industrial nations. This process can take many forms for the developing country.
looks at the unequal power relations that have developed as a result of colonialism. In the colonial
period, newly industrialized colonial nations expanded into areas that were unclaimed by other colonial
powers. The result was that the natural resources of less-developed nations were used to fuel the
colonial nations' factories. The methods used by imperial powers often involved direct military and
political control.
Participatory Development- It strengthens civil society and the economy by empowering groups,
communities and organizations to negotiate with institutions and bureaucracies, thus influencing public
policy and providing a check on the power of the government.
Sustainable Development
- Defined as development that is likely to achieve lasting satisfaction of human needs and improvement
of the quality of life and encompasses:
-Help for the very poorest who are left with no option but to destroy their environment to survive
- Idea of self-reliant development with natural resource constraints
- Cost effective development using different economic criteria to the traditional –i.e. development
should not degrade environment.
- People centered activities are necessary- human beings are the resources in the concept
Development as History
-1940-50s- Keynesian growth theory -process of capital of formation is determined by savings and
investment
- Domestic savings are chanelled to productive investments such as manufacturing which result –
usually-in high productivity
-Growth is market driven as income levels rise, savings rises and frees capital for alternative investment
