What Development Promises: Different People, Different Goals
- Different persons can have different developmental goals.
- What may be development for one may not be development for the other; it may even be destructive for the other (e.g., building a large dam provides electricity for industrialists but submerges agricultural land and displaces tribal communities).
- People look at a mix of goals: along with higher income, they seek equal treatment, freedom, security, and respect.
Comparing Countries: Per Capita Income vs HDI
- World Bank Criterion (World Development Report): Uses Per Capita Income (Average Income):
$$\text{Per Capita Income} = \frac{\text{Total National Income}}{\text{Total Population}}$$
- UNDP Criterion (Human Development Index - HDI): Comprehensive index combining:
- Health: Life Expectancy at birth.
- Education: Mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling.
- Standard of Living: Per Capita Gross National Income (GNI in Purchasing Power Parity $).
