4.3 Emerging and Developing Countries Flashcards
Measures of Development
Improvements in living standards
Human Development Index (HDI)
Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI)
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)
Measures of Development
Human Development Index (HDI)
Measure of economic development calculated by UN
Composite index based on three factors
- Health
- Education
- Income
Each indicator given equal weighting and mean is taken to get figure between 0 and 1
Greater the number, greater the level of development
Measures of Development
Human Development Index (HDI)
Advantages and Disadvantages
Takes into 3 key factors which are important
Relatively easy to calculate
Issues with figures, health takes no notice of quality of life that people enjoy and education takes no account of quality and success of education
No consideration for equality of income
Other factors which affect development => freedom from corruption and environment
Only an indicator, not a precise measure
Measures of Development
Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI)
Adjustment of HDI which includes a fourth indicator of development => inequality
Atkinson Index adjusts measures for education, health and income according to level of inequality
Broader than HDI but still can be criticised for not taking into account more measures and quality
Measures of Development
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
Measures percentage of population that is multidimensional poor => uses data for health, education and standard of living
Highlights countries where some areas are extremely rich but most is not and focuses on poverty
Does not take into account environment
Measures of Development
Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)
Calculated from 26 different indicators grouped into economic, environmental and social
Aims to look at economic sustainability
Tend to show developed countries experiencing negative growth over time due to impact on environment
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Primary Product Dependency Volatility of Commodity Prices Savings Gap Foreign Currency Gap Capital Flught Demographic Factors Debt Access to Credit and Banking Infrastructure Education/Skills Absence of Property Rights
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Primary Product Dependency
Large amount of most developing country’s economic activity is based on primary product Many issues: - Natural Disasters - Low Income Elasticity of Demand - Dutch Disease - Development
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Primary Product Dependency Issues
Natural Disasters
Can wipe out production of primary products and so means that farmers are left with no income
Often non-renewable => country will suffer when they run out of the product
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Primary Product Dependency Issues
Low Income Elasticity of Demand
As people get wealthier, this does not mean they increase amount of primary products purchased but increase demand for manufactured goods
Prebisch Singer Hypothesis suggests LR price of primary goods decline are in proportion to manufactured goods => those dependent on primary exports see a fall in terms of trade
However, there have been rises in prices of some key commodities and a fall in prices of manufactured goods
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Primary Product Dependency Issues
Dutch Disease
When a country becomes a significant commodity producer in a short amount of time, causing an increase in demand for the currency
=> pushes value of currency up
Increases export prices and leads to a reduction in competitiveness of economy, causing a fall in output in other areas
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Primary Product Dependency Issues
Development
Some countries have been able to use primary products to develop
Suggested that countries should use primary product revenue to invest in manufacturing
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Volatility of Commodity Prices
Primary products tend to have inelastic demand and supply curves => relatively small changes in demand or supply leads to huge fluctuation in price
Large changes in price mean producers’ income and country’s earnings also fluctuate => difficult to plan and carry out long term investment as well as meaning producers can see income fall rapidly => poverty
Prices of commodities rise, tends to be over investment in production of commodity causing long term risk when price eventually falls
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Savings Gap
Developing countries have lower incomes => save less
=> less money for banks to lend, reducing borrowing leading to reduced investment/consumption
Savings gap is difference between actual savings and level of savings needed to achieve higher growth rate
Harrod Domar Model
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Savings Gap
Harrod Domar Model
Suggests savings provide funds which are borrowed for investment purposes and that growth rates depend on level of saving and productivity of investment
Concludes economic growth depends on amount of labour and capital that developing countries have vast labour supply => problems causes by capital
To improve capital, investment is necessary which requires savings
Factors Influencing Growth and Development Economic Factors Savings Gap Harrod Domar Model Problems
Economic growth is not same as economic development
Difficult for individuals to save when they have little income and borrowing from overseas causes problems with debt
Possible that investment could be wasted
Factors Influencing Growth and Development Economic Factors Savings Gap Harrod Domar Model Diagram
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Foreign Currency Gap
This is when exports from a developing country are too low compared to imports to finance the purchase of investment or other goods from overseas required for faster economic growth
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Capital Flight
Large amounts of money are taken out of the country, rather than being left for people to borrow and invest
If money was placed in banks within the country, then credit could be created by banks for consumers and businesses to spend
Can occur because of lack of confidence in the country’s stability, to hide it from government authorities or simply for profit repatriation
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Demographic Factors
Developing countries tend to have higher population growth, which limits development
If population grows by 5%, economy needs to grow by 5% to even maintain living standards => developing countries need to have higher rates of growth to develop than more developed ones do
High population is caused by high birth rates => increase number of dependents within a country but does not immediately increase those of working age
Places strain on education system and leads to youth unemployment
Factors Influencing Growth and Development
Economic Factors
Debt
During 1970s and 1980s, developing countries received vast loans from banks in developed world
Now they suffer from high levels of interest repayment, sometimes even higher than loans and aid received => money is flowing from developing to developed
=> less money to spend on services for their population => raise taxes => limit growth and development
Problem occurs when governments take on too much debt and do not spend well