Lecture 1

What is development - Key words

1 Anything that improve quality of life
2 Process of improvement
3 Increases living standard
4 Capacity building
5 Increase in satisfaction level
6 Reduce risk
7 Upgrading skill
8 Continuous in nature
9 increase income
10 sustainable development
11 Growth or progress of any activity

Hippu sir - Development is basically a dynamic process of any change ( listed above) but what
is the desirable change, people differ with this idea
- As you can see in the above listed points. These differ from one another. So the
desirable change differs from person to person

Different approach of development

Development is seen in multitude ways, some people sees it as
- Growth rate - rise in personal income/ traditional approach - conventionally
development was seen as growth rate
- Industrialization - technological advancement-
- Access to service universally - satisfaction of basic needs - water, electricity education
sanitation etc

If fruits of the development are not reaching everyone then some people say
development has not happened. Even if a country has high PPP, gdp, income but as long as
some population is not able to access these basic needs, it cannot be called overall
development. Such kind of development is called LOP SIDED DEVELOPMENT.
As this development will lead to more inequality

Some people might also say

- Social modernisation is development - For example a society having honor killing. In
such a society, the value of life is less than subservient to social prejudice. So we can
say that such a society might have development material achievement, but u are
backward in liberal approach to life. Modern society living in medieval mindset.
We might question such development and its purpose, if it did not value life itself.
Another example is casteist society( Superficial development) material development

- Capability is development - ( 20min to 22min) he talked about sen’s capability

approach- It is basically the possibility of our being and doings- At this moment of time
 you are reading this notes as a student . Had you been not reading at this particular time
, you could have done anything else or become anything else. So you have alternate
doing and being
Capability set - Alternative being and doings
Video - ( 30min - 32min)

Sen’s capability theory of development- says that larger the size of your capability set
the better it is
- Larger set shows all the opportunity of different alternative of being and doing

The society which has a large capability set provides ample opportunities to its people.
But the capability approach of looking at development doesn't end here it also says at particular
time and space whatever you are being and doing must be driven by free will ( At this point
of time u are a student of IRMA, so being a student and at IRMA must be ur will)

- Satisfaction - Bhutan's gross national happiness

People can measure development in different ways ( 40-44 min Sens flute example)

Two major paradigm shift in development - 1 towards human development

2 Towards sustainable development
Shortcoming of conventional development measure of development
1 Shortcoming of GDP - from ppt everything sair said is given in ppt
Nothing technical to understand

Degrowth - Antithesis of something which is higher faster and further

It is not about growing less or negative by doing the same thing , it is about starting to do
different things.
For example earlier we used to buy refills for ball pens but now we purchase pens directly. If we
will use more refills and rewritable sheets then it would lead to loss of GDP but in another way it
is good for environment

LECTURE 2

Overconsumption is one of the biggest villains when we talk

about development. If there can be incentives for
consumption , it can be done for underconsumption also.
The notion of looking at the development through the lens of
only economic development indicators like GDP and GNP are
problematic but then the switch from economic development ,
one is human development paradigm
This human development paradigm is based on the sen's capability approach and the approach
says that the capability of the people are the ends so in sense HDP started giving importance to the
ends . It needs to be understood and appreciated that income is one of the means and it is not the end.
You are having money to do something else and if that something else becomes important then income is
one of the means .
For example we want happiness and good health and it is not necessary that good income would provide
those
The human development paradigm has good relation with daly’s continuum( Daly’s
continuum go beyond this)

The pyramid( daly’s) tells about the transformation of ends and means so of course it starts with the
natural resources. The natural resources are the ultimate measure of development as these are getting
converted into other things. Through science and technology the natural resources would be
converted into buildup capital( Example from slide) . Through socio political systems these get
converted into human capital ( Knowledgeable human beings). Through technology and ethics
ultimate aim is achieved which is being happy and to have a good life .
Daly’s continuum is something which as a framework shows how from ultimate means things get
translated to intermediate ends and then to ultimate ends.
The tools to have transformation - science and technology, ethical consideration, political and social
system

So if you see human development as a paradigm is not at the end of the continuum it is more towards the
third point ( EXAMPLES DEFINED IN PPT)
When we see the GDP and GDP they lie somewhere between 2 and 3( mostly at 2) EXAMPLES
DEFINED IN PPT)

Though this human development paradigm is formulated recently, it is old, even Aristotle gave ideas
about this(PPT). Aristotle and amartya sen almost said the same thing

If we see the notion of human development, it can be also considered as pegged into various
philosophical aspects. One of the aspects is ubuntu philosophy … story of chocolate and competition
Philosophy of -” I am because of we are”

Martin luther made a statement while visiting a place which was warned not to visit because of life threat.
He still went on and assassinated . He made a statement around that time “ Injustice anywhere affects
justice everywhere “ It is similar to Ubuntu philosophy.
When the child in the story was asked why you did not run. Had you ran then u might have got all the
chocolates. THe child replied how can i be happy if my friends would be sad
Gandhi’s idea of world government - TO stop the arms race
- REdistribution of resources
- If a person in his personal space is selfless he is a good person but if he is in a negotiation table
in an international forum representing his country he may be selfish. Concept- collective
immortality is bound to poison individual morality
The one difference human development paradigm has compared to conventional notion - This is
pluralistic understanding of well being. This is abt multidimensional aspect of development. We are talking
about health, education. Whereas the conventional aspect was only talking abt income. ( Read slide from
ppt)

Human Development Report - By UNDP- In one of the report they defined it ( FROM PPT)

Human development paradigm/framework has certain limitations - it does not take into account the
environmental aspect.
** Special concept of HSDI Human sustainable development ( From nature journal) - Additional
indicators( per capita carbon emission) was included apart from health education and income

Now we ask if human development is limited then what is going beyond that
- Notion of sustainable development. Both SD and HDI developed simultaneously.
Details in Ppt and definitions of sustainable development
** Even in SD we are not talking about equity directly. When we talk about SD equity is subsumed
inside it . We are talking about intergenerational equity but not intragenerational equity. Equity is
integral aspect of sustainable development.

What is to be made sustainable -

Weak sustainability vs strong sustainable ( VIDEO 1.9.40HR TO )
Strong sustainability- Whatever you do natural capital should not decrease

3rd one is most logical and realistic .here we say all our economic activities are happening within
the society and society is part of larger ecology

System framework ppt -Whatever has been given in the ppt

Conflict between Economic efficiency and Social well being & ecological acceptability. This is
what sustainable development tries to optimise

Income vs human choices -

Mahboob up huq devised HDI
Session 3

SESSION 3

● Development as freedom

Unfreedom- Defn see in net

There are 3 types of unfreedom, 1. Economic unfreedom- ex. Lockdown

2. Political unfreedom- ex. -curfews

3. Social unfreedom- ex. Caste discrimination

The linkages/ integration of unfreedom will create a severe situation. For ex: Not
giving jobs based on the caste discrimination, here both economic and social
unfreedom are intergrating, so problem.

SIngle unfreedom is not a problem

● Equality and liberty - Promote social, economic and political freedom

Liberty implies freedom( Sen, 1999)

● Human Development Paradigm :

The Humanist Revolution- Stanton,2007

Rawls Theory of Justice- Rawls,1971

There are 2 principles,

1. Equal basic liberties- irrespective of differences each person has the same basic
rights. Ex- fundamental rights

2. There would be social and economic equalities- Perfect equality is not desired,
differences should exist

Both inequalities should satisfy 2 conditions, A. For equality of opportunities

 B. If there are any unequal opportunities, the greatest benefit should go to the least
advantaged member. Also called Difference Principle or Maximin Rule or Leximin
ordering. Ex. reservation in education and jobs

● Social Primary Goods- “Original Position”under veil of ignorance- there is no

knowledge of future 25:00

● Resource distribution- Given a problem of 5 persons having different income and

you have some money, whom to give. Watch the session because i didn't understand
.(40;00)

● HDI was born in the humanist revolution

● Social primary goods- the basic goods that are required for sustainable living

● Concepts of HDI:

1. Means and ENds

2. Agency and empowerment- The free will to choose their own destiny. People
should be given the opportunity to shape their own destiny and not just be
passive recipients of the fruits of cunning development programs .

Evaluative aspect- How human life can be made better

The Agency Aspect- How betterment can be achieved

Haq’s 4 Principles of human development

● Equity- -In terms of equal opportunity, - Inequality should be favouring the least
benefited - Rawls difference principle

● Efficiency- Optimal use of existing resources, - least cost method of reaching goals

● Participation- Through decentralisation

● Sustainability - Envi, Financial, and Social

Does HDI comply with the 4 principles ? NO

Imp TERMS

Functionings- The various things the person may value being or doing (Alkire and Denulin)
 - The various things the person may value being or doing( Sen, 1999)

Capability- Capabilities are the substantive freedoms he or she enjoys to lead the kind of life
he/she has reason to value (Sen)

Agency- A person’s ability to pursue and realise goals that he or she values and has reason to
value.

HD connection with Capability Approach and others:

RESOURCES----> CAPACITY-----> ACTIONS------> UTILITY

If there is no capacity to convert resources into actions, there will be no utility

Ex. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand are endowed with the natural resources but poor because they
have no capacity to convert resources into other finished products or goods or value adds.

- Only focussing on actions or utility is problematic

HDI:

The old system (Pre 2010) - 3 dimensions

1. Long and healthy life- life expectancy at birth(h)

2. Knowledge- adult literacy rate and gross enrolment ratio(e)
3. Ability to achieve decent standard living- GDP per capita (y)

HDI= ⅓ h+ 1/3e +⅓ y

Why HDI got success-1. Pluralistic concept/framework: Includes issue of plurality and
openness to multiple concern is central to its success.

2. Utilitarianism and single mindedness/ oneness

3. Development and mono centralisation- income parallel to utility

4. Plural concerns on development

HDI is broad and practical; flexible , HDI captures multiple concerns ; basic needs ; hunger;
epidemics; disparities; quality of life, etc.
SESSION 4

POVERTY:

Poverty is multi- dimensional deprivations,- there are many facets of poverty: i.e., illiteracy ,
undernutrition, ill health , lack of hope, etc.

Layers of inequality - poor countries , poor regions, etc.

Divisions of poverty:

Temporary ---- Economic shocks like pandemic, etc

v//s

Chronic----- Structural , ever lasting for generations,- ex- caste system

Expenditure is the better measure of poverty than income

Absolute poverty v/s relative poverty

Relative poverty is high in the developed nations

Household poverty- gender related partiality

( there is a graph discussion on work capacity vs income- time- 30:00)

Critiques of poverty line

1. Discrete categorization: “ poor and non poor” which is non reflective of reality
2. Highly sensitive to change: $1.25 a day: 32.67%

$2 a day: 68.72 %

3. Criticised as line of starvation

Calculation of HCR, PGR, SPGR ,( LAST 40 MINS OF 4TH SESSION)