Developmental Economics Flashcards
What is the definition of economic development?
Economic development refers to an improvement in the standards of living.
It can be measured using the HDI ranking
What are the sources of economic growth?
- Natural factors - anything that improves quantity or quality of a factor of production should lead to growth.
- Human Capital - Quantity can be increased by encouraging population growth or increasing immigration levels. However, quality is most common and this involves health care, education, vocational training, re-training for unemployed.
- Physical/technological factors - Improving quantity or quality of physical capital (Factory buildings, machinery, shops, offices and motor vehicles.
Quantity - Saving, dometic/foreign investment, etc.
Quality - education, research development.
- Institutional factors - It is an requirement to allow for economic growth to take place. (Banking systems, legal system, schools, poltical stability, etc.)
Does economic growth lead to economic development? (Points for and against)
Economic growth may or may not lead to economic development…
- Higher incomes - Higher levels of economic growth - increase in GDP per head - Increase in income - to an extent it should improve standards of living.
However, depends on income distribution.
- Higher government revenue - Increased GDP –> increased government revenue through taxation. It can provide the necessary infrastructure (health, road, etc.)
Counter –> Corruption
-
Creation of inequality - Some argue —> Increase in economic growth —> Increase in inequality. But eventually due to the trickle-down effect opportunities will be created for the poor.
but. .. - Negative externalities and lack of sustainability - Increase in economic growth correlated with negative impacts on the environment (consumerism, energy needs, etc.). This is referred to as uneconomic growth - Increase in output accompanied negative effects on resources availability and well-being.
Common characterisitics of developing countries?
- Low standards of living - Low income, inequality, poor health, inadequete education.
- Low levels of productivity
- High rtes of population growth and dependency burdens ( Ratio of dependent young/old people to the working population).
- High and rising levels of unemployment
- Substantial dependence on agriculture production and primary product. Reliant on weather conditions and food is only grown to be eaten. Nothing is sold and thus there is no contribution to economic growth.
- Prevelance of imperfect markets and limited information. Lack of banking, legal system, infastructure, information systems.
- Dominance, dependence and vulnerability in international relations. Depedent on developed countries for trade, technology and investement.
What are the international development goals?
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Acheive universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV and Aids, malaria and other diseases.
- Ensure enviornmental sustainability
- Develop global partnership for development.
WHat are some barriers to development?
Barriers that can be overcome to acheive devlopment
- Corrupt government
- Primary product dependency - ‘Anything extracted from the earth’.
- Reduce the prevelance of HIV/AIDS/Malaria as this may reduce the quanitity and quality of the workforce.
- Low educational attainment - Reduces improvement in quality of physical capital (Research and development).
- Large debt repayments - Inhibits local governments to tackle the problems in their own economy.
- Geography - Land locked (lack of transport), difficult climate, etc.
Provide some actions that can be implemented to achieve economic development?
- Microcredit
- Aid/loans/debt relief
- Development of industry
- Improvements in education
- Improvements in healthcare
- To some extent, economic growth
- decrease corruption
What is import substitution? How can it be implemented?
This is a trade policy that adovcates for goods to be produced domestically rather than importing them.
Implementation
1) Adopt policy of organising that adovates the production of domestic goods.
2) Subsidies are made avaliable to domestic producers
3) Protectionist system implemented with tarrifs for foreign imports.
Why can import substitution be beneficial?
It can potentially increase the revenue for domestic producers
In developing countries - import substitution can make domestic producers more competitive in a global market thus benefiting from economies of scale (unit cost decreases as output increases).
Economic growth –> creates jobs domestically
Protects local firms from international competition
Problems with import substitution?
When a economy relies on import substitution, it may place too much pressure on the workforce. This is especially problematic when an economy relies on low skilled manufactured workers (clothing) as it is labour intensive.
Can growth and development be shown on a PPF?
Economic growth can be shown in a PPF diagram as an outward shift.
Economic development - Represented by an increase in the number of capital goods (equipment to produce other goods) rather than consumer goods (goods that are imply consumed).

What are some methods to improve economic development? (general)
- Reducing widespread poverty
2. Raising living standards
3. Reducing income inequalities
4. Increasing employment opportunities
What is the link between economic growth and economic development (short and long term)?
Economic growth and economic development are NOT the same thing:
o Some limited economic development is possible in the absence of economic growth
o Long term economic growth is usually necessary for long term economic development (however, certain circumstances economic growth may not lead to economic development - High inequality)
What are common differences between LEDCS?
- Resource endowment - Variety in natural resources avaliable.
- Geographic and demographic - Large variety in climate, enviornment, population size etc.
- History - Many developing countries were once colonised but the effect of colonisation varies (some positive impacts other negative).
- Political system - Many political systems / different economic ideologies –> hard to have one size fits all solution to their problems.
- Political stability - Different countries might be experiencing interal conflict.
- GDP per capita income levels are not always the same.
- Ethnic and religious backgrounds.
What are some examples of financial/economic indicators?
Adding to that GDP per capitta figures (with or without PPP) can be used.

What is the definition of PPP (Purchasing power parity)?
Purchasing power parity means equalising the purchasing power of two currencies by taking into account these cost of living and inflation differences.
PPP is used when comparisons are made between countries which use different currencies
What is the poverty trap/cycle?
A poverty trap is any linked combination of barriers to growth and development that forms a circle, thus self-perpetuating unless the circle can be broken.
What are some examples of health indicators?
1) Life expectancy
2) Infant mortality rate
3) Number of patients per doctor
4) HIV/ AIDS
5) Malaria
6) Malnutrition
What are some education indicators?
1) Adult literacy rate
2) Net enrolment ratio in primary education
What is the HDI (Human development index)?
This is a composite index that measures economic developed which is based on life expectancy, education, GNI.
Preferred indicator for development.
It is possible for a country to have a GDP/GNI per capita global ranking which is lower, or higher, than its HDI global ranking (since GDP/ GNI is only one of the components of HDI)
What are some alternatives to HDI?
1) Gender related development Index - Same as HDI but takes into account inequalities between men and women within the indicators.
2) Gender empowerment Measure - The extent to which women are able to actively participate in economic and political life.
3) Human Poverty index - Measures the propotion of people who are deprived of the oppertunity to reach a basic level of human needs.
What are the domestic factors that contribute to economics development?
- Education and health
- Appropriate use of technology
- Acess to credit and microcredit
- empowerment of women
- Income distribution
- Political stability - reduction in corruption
- Infrastructure
How does education lead to economic development?
Benefits? Barriers?
Education is a primary and fundamental strategy for eradicating poverty. (People are more informed, better employment (higher wages), increases in productive efficiency due to improvements in the quality of physical capital, etc.)
A nation’s human capital is its most vital resource, and the road to prosperity requires an effective education system that does not discriminate based on race, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Benefits:
- Improve the role of women in society - Gender equality.
- Improved levels of health
- Improved levels of productive efficiency - economic growth - government revenue increases
- Increased communication/debate - leading to further innovation and improvement.
- Better chance of employment –> higher wages.
Barriers:
- Provision of education require funding
- Education funding not well distributed (rural and urban
- Children required for work at home/farm
How does the appropriate use of technology lead to economic development?
Technology can benefit LEDCs in many ways….
Increases in productive efficiency
Examples…
Enabling businesses in remote areas to access banking facilities on mobile phones.
Providing farmers with weather information online - Increase in output –> more revenue/income.
Enabling students to access online study materials.
Note - One must be careful with implementation as it may put may unskilled workers out of employment.
