Development and Inequalities Unit with Case Studies

I know this is really long and will probably put you off, but every point of the spec is written out and explained :)

There are many ways to measure a country’s level of development. The methods are divided between qualititative and quantitive. Qualitative methods involve giving a description of an area and providing photos etc. However, this is very subjective. Quantitative methods are much more precise and practical. This can be done by looking at Demographic factors, for example the level of the birth rate and the death rate plus the infant mortality, percentage of malnutrition and life expectancy. Economic factors can also be looked into, for example by looking at a country’s GDP, the rate of employment, consumption levels and number of possessions etc. Social factors are also important to look at; i.e. the adult literacy rate, the amount of services available per population of area, and by looking at the level of crime and violence. Lastly, political factors can also be looked into, for example the size of the army and the voting population. However, some methods are combined, for example the HDI index included life expectancy and adult literacy etc. which is highly useful. These measures all contribute to our understanding of a country’s level of economic development. From analysing them in different countries, it is clear to see that there are significant differences in the levels between countries. These are commonly split between MEDC NIC and LEDC (Japan) (China) (Bangladesh/Afghanistan)

When it comes to a country’s level of development, there are several factors behind it. Firstly, economic factors include the level of infrastructure and transport as this makes developments easier, plus the transport enables mass tourism. The level of FDI in a country as it generates economic growth by stimulating technological development and creating job opportunities. Social factors also dictate the level of economic growth. If a country is riddled with diseases and there are high amounts of malnutrition then the labour force will not be that productive. Also, the size of the labour force tends to influence how developed a country is because it fundamentally drives all development. Lastly, women’s position is also important because if they are discriminated against then the economy has roughly halved its’ potential. Political factors also influence the level of development because the official attitude of things like trade and migration will fundamentally dictate how involved a country is in it. Also if there are high levels of corruption and political instability then the development of a country is hindered and not made a priority. (Zimbabwe) Historical factors are also just as important because the earlier a country begins its’ development…