Causes and Characteristics of Development

Causes of Development

• Economic growth relies on natural resources and geographical advantages when managed sustainably.
• Societal values like education, hard work, and innovation are crucial for driving development.
• Access to global markets enhances a nation's ability to export and attract foreign investments and technology.

Characteristics of Development

• Economic growth is typically measured by an increase in GDP.
• Improved living standards are reflected in higher income levels, enhanced healthcare, and educational opportunities.
• Positive social indicators such as social equity, political stability, good governance, and environmental sustainability constitute overall development.

Positive Impacts of Development

• Development initiatives create new job opportunities, contributing to lower unemployment rates.
• Economic activities associated with development can elevate incomes and improve living conditions.
• Infrastructure improvements, such as upgraded hospitals and transportation systems, enhance accessibility and quality of life.

Negative Impacts of Development

• Environmental degradation is frequently a result of the affluent's resource-intensive lifestyles and industrial practices, leading to significant pollution and over-consumption.
• Indigenous populations often face displacement due to development projects, exemplified by the construction of infrastructure like the Sardar Dam.
• Labour exploitation is a concern in development projects, characterized by low wages, unsafe working conditions, and inadequate worker protections.

Ethical Reflection

• Systemic issues like population growth, poor economic management, and conflict highlight failures in resource distribution and governance, necessitating a moral reckoning for equitable access to services.
• Poverty's impacts include deteriorating health, limited education, social isolation, and increased crime, raising ethical concerns regarding human rights and dignity.
• While poverty may cultivate virtues like humility, it should not detract from the urgent necessity for justice and alleviation of suffering.

Thomas Pogge's Perspective on Development

• Pogge stresses an ethical obligation to address global poverty and inequality via just institutional frameworks.
• Development, while beneficial for economic growth and infrastructure, presents ethical dilemmas including environmental damage, indigenous displacement, and worker exploitation.
• A commitment to fairness, cultural respect, and sustainable practices is essential for addressing challenges tied to poverty and development.

Evaluation of Poverty from a Biblical Perspective

• Engaging in immoral practices like stealing and corruption for survival contradicts Christian values of honesty and integrity.
• Biblical teachings in James 5:1-6 warn against the unethical accumulation of wealth through corrupt means, reinforcing the moral stance against unethical behavior for escaping poverty.

Explore the key factors that drive economic development in this quiz. Understand how natural resources, education, and access to global markets contribute to growth. Additionally, learn about the measurable outcomes of development such as GDP and living standards.