L8

Question 1

What was the main reason for Europé colonazing latin America? + explain proximate factors

Answer 1

Geography
Proximate factors:
-More advanced technology (steel, guns, swords and ships)
-Immunity to lethal epidemic diseases (germs)
-More complex political organization

Question 2

Ultimate factors for geographic advantage for Europé

Answer 2

Large number of diversity and domesticable plants and animals
-Nutritious plants, easy to domesticate (Lead to storage technologies)
-Right type of animals easy to domesticate, easy for transportation and germs that in beginning created epedemic diseases but eventually created imunity
Orientation of east to west
-Same ecological zone that enables same food and storage technology
-New domestic species could easily spread across areas

Question 3

From food production to guns, germs and steels

Answer 3

Technology enabled food surpluses
→ Communities
→ Could have large and dense population in small area
→ Specialization
Professional craftsmen creates combat and navigation technology
Weapons, armor, military, ships
Some people developed complex social and political organizations
Taxed people who lived in communities
Dense populations living closed to domesticated animals which resulted in many epidemic diseases but eventually created immunity

Question 4

Geography causing economic development today

Answer 4

1. Water navigability
   Landlocked countries experience less trade, higher transportation cost and less or no access to marine resources
   
   2. Topography
      Ruggedness (variation in elevation, slope…) increase transportation cost, need for different technology, difficult to move production factors (labor and capital) and difficult to have agricultural productivity
   3. Ecological zone
      Affect agricultural productivity (rainfall, temperature, soil quality)
      Tropical zones have higher temperatures, no winter frost which incease likelyhood for disease->lower labor productivity->less food, undernutrition, more diseases

Question 5

Malaria as poverty trap

Answer 5

Risk of Malaria in areas with water and high temperature
Big scientific challenges
Economic challenges
Poor housing and hygiene increase likelihood of getting malaria
Little access to health care
Malaria creates poverty and poverty increase likelihood of getting malaria
->loss in physical capital (money goes to medical expenses, less working days and reduced FDI and tourism) and human capital (abscense from school, damage cognitive development and learning ability, malnutrition)

Question 6

Impact of history on development

Answer 6

Historical events can have long-lasting impacts on economic development
Path dependence=Decision now depends on decisions made in the past
Slave trade still have impact on Africa today - mistrust, different ethicalities remain, long term political instability

Question 7

History of development thinking

Answer 7

1500-1700 wealth accumulation through trade and/or plunder
1700-1820 country should focus on industrial growth if they want development
1820-1880 industrial growth in order to catch up with Great Britain
1880-1914 Globalization and comparative advantage: trade for efficiency
1914-1945 People looked to the state and thought that was the solution for development
1945-1982 Thinking about how poverty and inequalities can be reduced
1982-1997 liberalize, privatize and descale the state
1997-today Focus on country, social and legal norms, sustainability