Notes on Human Development CBSE Class 12th Fundamentals of Human Geography

Growth vs Development

• Growth refers to quantitative changes in a system. It is value-neutral, meaning it can be positive (an increase) or negative (a decrease). For instance, an increase in population or income is considered growth, but it doesn't indicate improvement in quality of life.
• Development, on the other hand, implies qualitative improvement. It is always value-positive, meaning it leads to better living standards and improved quality of life.
• Development implies that positive growth has occurred.
• It focuses on enhancing people’s well-being, opportunities, and overall quality of life.

Historically, development was measured primarily in economic terms, i.e., Gross National Product (GNP) or per capita income. However, this was seen as an incomplete picture.

The Concept of Human Development

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, economists like Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq and Prof. Amartya Sen introduced a broader and more inclusive understanding of development. This became known as the Human Development approach.

• Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq defined human development as:
  “A process of enlarging people’s choices and improving their lives.”
• People are central to this concept. Development is not just about income, but about people leading meaningful lives with dignity and freedom.

Core Goals of Human Development:

1. Long and healthy life (healthcare and nutrition)
2. Access to knowledge (education)
3. Decent standard of living (resources and income)

Four Pillars of Human Development

1. Equity
• Equal access to opportunities irrespective of gender, income, caste, or ethnicity.
• Example: In India, dropout rates are higher among girls and socio-economically backward groups, showing unequal access to education.
2. Sustainability
• Ensuring that present development does not compromise future generations.
• Involves responsible use of environmental, financial, and human resources.
• Example: Not educating girls limits their future, which also affects future generations' development.
3. Productivity
• Refers to human productivity—better health, education, and skills lead to higher efficiency and innovation.
• People are the real wealth of nations.
4. Empowerment
• Giving people the freedom and capability to make choices.
• Requires good governance, participation, and people-centric policies.

Approaches to Human Development

Several frameworks have been proposed to understand and implement human development:

1. Income Approach
• Assumes higher income means higher development.
• However, income alone doesn’t ensure well-being or quality of life.
2. Welfare Approach
• Treats people as beneficiaries of government programs.
• Focuses on increasing state spending on health, education, and social welfare.
3. Basic Needs (Minimum Needs) Approach
• Proposed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
• Focuses on satisfying six essential needs:
• Health
• Education
• Food
• Water supply
• Sanitation
• Housing
4. Capabilities Approach
• Proposed by Amartya Sen.
• Focuses on building people's capabilities to live meaningful lives by ensuring access to health, education, and resources.

Measuring Human Development

The most widely used tool to measure development is the Human Development Index (HDI).

HDI Components:

1. Health
• Indicator: Life Expectancy at Birth
• Reflects chances of living a long and healthy life.
2. Education
• Indicators: Adult Literacy Rate and Gross Enrolment Ratio
• Measures access to knowledge and learning opportunities.
3. Standard of Living
• Indicator: Per Capita Income (in Purchasing Power Parity – PPP US dollars)
• Reflects the ability to access resources for a decent life.

Each of these components is given equal weightage (1/3) in the HDI calculation.

• HDI scores range between 0 and 1.
• Closer to 1: Higher development (e.g., 0.983 = Very High HDI)
• Closer to 0: Lower development (e.g., 0.268 = Very Low HDI)

Human Poverty Index (HPI)

While HDI measures achievements, the HPI reflects shortfalls in human development.

Indicators of HPI:

• Probability of not surviving until age 40
• Adult illiteracy rate
• Lack of access to clean water
• Underweight children under five

These highlight areas needing urgent intervention and represent inequality or deprivation in basic human needs.

International Comparison of HDI

International comparisons of human development are interesting. Size of the territory and per capita income are not directly related to human development. Often smaller countries have done better than larger ones in human development

Countries are ranked into four categories based on HDI scores:

• Very High HDI countries: Mostly located in Europe and represent the industrialized world with high investment in social sectors.
• Medium HDI countries: Many are developing nations, improving steadily by adopting people-oriented policies.
• Low HDI countries: Often affected by political instability, conflict, famine, or disease. These countries tend to prioritize military expenditure over social development.

Examples:

• Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago have higher HDI ranks than India.
• Within India, Kerala ranks higher than Punjab and Gujarat due to better health, education, and social equity outcomes.