Download Introduction to World Sociology Defining development

Introduction to
World
Sociology
Defining
development
What are the definitions of development and
how do they reveal value judgements?
(Adapted from S Moore)
Introduction to World sociology
World sociologists focus
on the relationships
between and within
countries, especially
economic and social
differences.
E.g. in 1997 the richest
1/5th of the world’s
population had an income
78 times as great as the
poorest 1/5th .
The industrialised world is the richest (i.e. North America, Western
Europe, Japan and Australasia.) The non-industrialised world is the
poorest (i.e. most of Africa, South and Central America, Indian
subcontinent and most of East Asia)
The following characteristics have been used to rank
countries in terms of development or progress
Ranking into Separate Worlds
First world. (Western capitalist countries)
Second World (former communist countries)
Third World (the developing world)
Disadvantage: dated because of the collapse of the USSR and we are all in
one world!
Geographical ranking:
North and South
Advantage - this is a quick rule of thumb
Disadvantage - it is geographically incorrect as there are many industrialised
countries in the south E.g. Australia
Countries ranked according to wealth
Rich countries
Poor countries
Advantage - it shows inequalities of wealth between
countries
Disadvantages – i) it conceals inequalities of wealth
within countries.
ii) Does not show social progress e.g. increases in
life expectancy even if not a wealthy country
Economic & industrial ranking of development or progress
MEDC’s – Most Economically Developed Countries
NIC’sNewly Industrialised Countries
FCC’s Former Communist Countries
LEDC’s
Less Economically Developed Countries
LLEDC’s - Least economically Developed Countries
Feminist ranking of development or progress:
Fourth World - this includes all women in a patriarchal world
(Radical Feminist)
Fifth World – this includes women who are used as a cheap labour
force (Socialist Feminist)
Two main ways of measuring
development
1. Development as economic
wellbeing
2 Development as social well being
Development as economic well-being eg GNP
Gross National Product :
Used by economists, functionalists, policy makers and New
Right to indicate position of countries in terms of
development
Advantages - allows for comparisons between countries
Disadvantages –
1. Data can be unreliable (and thus not comparable)
2. Overlooks domestic production for home consumption
and the informal economy
3. Conceals inequalities within countries
Measuring Social Wellbeing
The United Nations devised the Human Development
Index (HDI) measures e.g. adult literacy rates, life
expectancy at birth etc.
Those at the top of this index are seen as the most
developed in terms of social well-being. E.g. USA life
expectancy is 76.4 years and Nigeria was only 51.4
years.
But it is possible for countries to have a low GNP but
a high HDI e.g. Cuba
Western influence on definitions and
perceptions of development or progress
Development is arguably influenced by western,
industrial, capitalist, patriarchal views because it is:
1. ethnocentric
2. has a negative view of cultural values of developing
countries. (e.g. extended families)
3. sees western industrialisation as perfect and
ignores its own problems such as poverty &
pollution
4 sees western Democracy as better than socialist models
of development
5 creates problems in the developing world e.g. loss of
homeland and internal inequalities
6 applies a ‘blanket approach’ to developing countries
and ignores diversity between and within them
7 is seen by critics as a sham because its main aim is to
exploit and subjugate rather than assist the developing
world. Thus the widening gap between rich and poor
countries
(But the Asian Tiger economies do appear to have
successfully followed western development model)
Alternative models of development/progress
Those rooted in the religious beliefs of the
developing world e.g. Islam
Those who see liberation from the West as the main way of
development or progress
Rejection of western-style democracy and economics
e.g. Socialist countries such as Cuba.
People centred/local models of development, where the local
community are given a voice and power regarding their
progress