Health 1.1 Flashcards
What is human development?
Looks at the standards of living within a country by looking at factors such as GDP, life expectancy, literacy rates, infant mortality rates and healthcare
What is Brandt’s north-south divide?
Draws a line across the middle of the earth, above Africa and China and then around Australia and New Zealand. It reflects how 80% of the world’s wealth comes from the north, but only 33% of world population, while 20% of wealth comes from the south, but 66% of the world population
Why can measuring development be complex and contested?
-can be difficult because it requires data, which can only be based off of recorded information. Therefore this ignores subsistence or informal/unpaid work.
-In developing countries, where births and deaths are not recorded, it’s harder to get accurate measures
-Individuals place importance on different things
What does the Gini Coefficient measure?
inequality in a country, with 0 being perfect equality and 100 being perfect inequality
What does GDP measure? How does the world bank use this?
Gross domestic product:
total value of goods and services produced by a country each year to show level of income.
The world bank uses GDP to divide countries into HICs, NEEs and LICs
What are the advantages of measuring development through GDP?
-widely used
-easily measured
-Measured using PPP- purchasing power parity- meaning countries can be compared
What are the disadvantages of using GDP as a development indicator?
- doesn’t account for cost of living
-doesn’t show levels of inequality
-no guarantee money is spent on development
-Many argue development should be measured on a continuum rather than placing countries into groups
What is HDI
Human Development Index is a composite measure that uses 3 indicators:
-GDP
-life expectancy
-literacy
What are the benefits of measuring development using HDI?
spots anomalies
brings human welfare to the centre
gives economically poor countries recognition for improvements in wellbeing
What are the drawbacks of using HDI to measure human development?
Still just an average and human Rights, democracy, environmental quality and engagement of voters are not included
What is the happy planet index?
less traditional method of measuring development that is based on 3 indicators:
-life expectancy
-experienced wellbeing
-ecological footprint
How is the happy planet index measured?
Experienced well-being x life expectancy divided by ecological footprint
What are the benefits of using the happy planet index?
Offers a different perspective on development
Considers people’s opinions about their own wellbeing
Includes environmental aspects
What are the limitations of the happy planet index?
It’s not used widely and some organisations don’t take it seriously
Ignores political freedom and human rights
Experienced wellbeing is subjective
What is the UK’s % on the Gini Index?
0.34