FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT CONT
21 JUNE 2020: G9
FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT
-It is important to take note of the fact that not all countries in the world have the same level of development.
-Six important reasons why development is not the same will be examined in the following information.
1. Historical Factors
-Colonialism for instance- the past influences the present
-colonialism is a policy of taking control of other countries in order to benefit from trade.
-it is the cause of much of the lack of development in Africa, because colonialism facilitated the exploitation of Africa economically.
- in Africa (colonies), only a very small share of profit was given to the local inhabitants,
- colonies were used as sources of raw materials and as markets for foreign finished (processed goods) from home countries of the colonialists, this badly affected the local economy.
- the money that was generated by colonial governments and earned by their officers was invested in their own nations, this money was not circulated in the colony.
- while the colonial powers did develop roads, railways and harbours, their construction was mainly to export raw materials and import manufactured goods.
- the effects of colonialism are still seen today in Africa, even though most African had received their independence by 1970s.
-the effects of colonialism in South Africa were increased by the implementation of apartheid.
- the poorest areas in South Africa today are the former homelands where black people were forced to live during apartheid times.
- almost all development took place in “white” areas.
- in the former homelands there is still little commercial agriculture.
2. Health and Welfare
-welfare (financial or other aid provided to people in need)
- nutrition (the quality of food people eat)
-societies where people are healthy and free from diseases and illness have higher levels of development than societies where large numbers of people are sick and poorly cared for.
- poor nutrition and inadequate housing affect health populations.
- improvements in agriculture have caused populations to have better nutrition, be healthier and have higher levels of development.
- improvements in farming were introduced in the 1960s and 1970s in many Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs), these improvements were part of science-based development strategies called the Green Revolution.
Benefits of the Green Revolution
- Farmers produced more food
- Fewer famines resulted in reduced deaths and better health.
- More jobs in farming and related areas such as dam and road building were created.
- People learnt new skills, for example, driving and maintaining farm machinery.
- People earned higher wages.
Access to health care
- Impact of medical care, including medicines and vaccinations, has improved the health and welfare of communities all over the world,
- Infant mortality rates lowered
- Life expectancy has increased in many countries.
- People can be cured of many diseases that may have killed them or severely weakened them in the past.
- Healthy people can work harder and for more years, they can earn more money and improve their quality of life.
3. Education
- education is central to development
- literacy levels (ability to read and write)
- it was one of the factors that helped the four Asian Tigers to drive their development.
- countries that have not provided education to the majority of people have low levels of development
Benefits of Education
- It helps to reduce poverty and inequality
- It spreads knowledge about the world
- Education informs people about health issues such as the spread of HIV and AIDS.
- It leads to well trained workers.
- It promotes democracy, peace and instability
- It can increase people’s wealth
- It creates a stable society.
Education for girls
- Countries that promote education for girls have a higher HDI than countries that do not educate girls.
- The child of a Zambian mother who has a primary school education has a 25% better chance of survival than a child of a mother with no education.
- In Sub-Saharan Africa 30% of all girls do not go to primary school.
- Educated women have fewer children, their children are also healthier.
- In Brazil, illiterate women have an average of 6.5 children; women who have had a secondary education have 2.5 children.
4. Political Stability
i) stable- secure, reliable
ii) political disturbance- problems related to leadership and government that upset the smooth running of a country.
iii) democracy- the right of every person to take part in the system of government
- A stable government simply means that you can count on the government tomorrow or a year from now to be what it is today.
- Countries that are politically stable are able to use their natural and human resources for development.
- In a stable country the government is able to run the country efficiently without conflict.
- Countries that are politically unstable or involved in conflict often lower their levels of development.
- Somalia, in north-east Africa, is an example of a country that has been conflict for 20 years. It has a low level of development, this has almost destroyed the country, it prevented people from farming the land and has led to terrible famine in 2011, thousands of Somalia’s productive people have left the country.
5. Trade
-trade is the exchange of goods and services.
- countries trade with what they have for what they need (export and import).
- poorer countries often have to sell their products, usually raw materials (unprocessed is
- trading with raw materials makes poorer are less developed because they earn less from raw materials, while richer countries sell manufactured goods to less developed countries, this makes them more developed because they trade with goods that are more valuable.
- richer countries also decide the buying and selling prices of goods that are traded, this makes the terms of trade to be unfair, favoring the richer countries. This creates imbalances of trade.
Imbalance of trade- unevenness or inequality in trade. This puts poorer countries in a deep cycle of poverty and they get poorer. Many countries in Africa are in this situation.
Fair trade- is an approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions for their products with more developed countries.
Trade surplus-when the value of a country’s exports is higher than its imports, this means that the country is earning more from export and they are spending less on imports. More developed countries usually have trade surplus because they sell manufactured goods and they are the ones who make the trade rules.
Trade deficit- when the value of a country’s imports is higher than its exports. This means that the country is spending more on imports and getting less from exports. This is common with Less economically developed countries that trade with raw materials and buy manufactured goods from developed countries.
6. Technology and industrialization
Technology- tools, machines and methods used to perform a task.
Industrialization- using manufacturing methods to produce goods.
Self-sufficiency- ability to support oneself without depending on others.
- Manufactured goods sell for higher prices than raw materials, countries that use modern technology to develop industries can improve their levels of development.
- Changing from farming and selling raw materials can lead to rapid industrialization, an approach that was used by the Four Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan).
- Investing in modern technology
- Focusing more on exports to create development
- that do business all over the world. They may support or exploit poorer countries)
- Selling exports to wealthy nations at higher prices
- Investing heavily in education
- Industrialization and technology provided many jobs all over the world
More than 50% of the world’s industrial output produced by large multinational companies (these are big companies, owned by people in More Economically developed countries.
Well developed countries are highly industrialised and their economies depend on advanced technology.
Developing countries are less industrialised and modern technology is not always accessible, it would be better for developing countries to develop and use technology to manufacture goods themselves instead of exporting unprocessed natural resources.
NB: Study all the information that you have received so far, a Formal Assessment will be posted by the end of the week, this is will be a very important assessment that contributes to your Mark Order. Answers MUST be TYPED and emaild to respective educators on specific due date that will be given.
HAVE A FRUITFUL WEEK GRADE 9s!!!!