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Development as freedom
- 1. Development as Freedom By: Amartya Sen
- 2. Amartya Sen Born in West Bengal, India to Bangladeshi parents Schooled in Calcutta and Cambridge – economics & philosophy Best known for his work on causes for famine & famine prevention 1998 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Studies “Mother Theresa of Economics”
- 3. Let’s Talk About Poverty What is poverty? What is wealth? Why are poor people poor? How do we change this? “How far would wealth go to get them what they want?”
- 4. It’s More than Money “Wealth is evidently not the good we are seeking; for it is merely useful and for the sake of something else.” – Aristotle “The usefulness of wealth lies in what we want it to do.” “Development has to be more concerned with enhancing the lives we lead and the freedoms we enjoy.” Development approach: “a process of expanding substantive freedoms that people have”
- 5. What is freedom? Availability of food, health care, sanitation, clean water, gender equality, functional education, employment, social security, political liberty, & basic civil rights “Greater freedom enhances the ability of people to help themselves and also to influence the world, and these matters are central to the process of development.” “Functionings” Capabilities
- 6. Poverty as Capability Deprivation What affects capability? Age, gender & social roles, location, epidemiological atmosphere, etc. Either income deprivation or adversity in converting income into functionings Relative deprivation vs. Absolute deprivation
- 7. Mortality, Inequality, & Relative Deprivation African Americans in the US have lower survival rates, especially in old age, than much poorer communities of Kerala, India and China.
- 8. Development & Culture Is it better to be “rich & happy” or “impoverished and traditional”? If the traditional way of life has to be sacrificed to escape grinding poverty or miniscule longevity, the it is the people directly involved who must have the opportunity to participate in deciding what should be chosen.” Conflict: value that people should be allowed to decide freely which traditions to follow vs. established traditions are always followed
- 9. Economics of Freedom Development From the beginning the study of economics was the study of freedom expansion Economics has shifted more toward utilities, income, & wealth Promotion of an open market The market mechanism opens the door for provision of basic education, the presence of elementary medical facilities, the availability of resources, and much more.
- 10. Famines & Other Crises “Hunger relates not only to food production and agricultural expansion, but also to the functioning of the entire economy…” Cause of famine: lack of ability to provide one’s own food or lack of availability of food in a market setting Hunger limits labor assets and production possibilities Hunger and fear of hunger can destroy an economy Production, diversification, and growth
- 11. Population, Food, & Freedom Population control through public policy Empowering women reduces fertility rate Why reduce fertility rates? Economically and emotionally beneficial for young women “The solution of the population problem calls for more freedom, not less”
- 12. The Importance of Democracy Economic & political incentives “The process of preventing famines and other crises is significantly helped by the use of instrumental freedoms…” “An adequate approach of development cannot really be so centered only on those in power…”
- 13. Social Choice & Individual Behavior We have to anticipate the unintended but predictable consequences – at the end of the day human beings are self- centered and want to serve themselves primarily The success of capitalism has to reach beyond self- centeredness Avoid assumptions: high-minded and low-minded sentimentality “Central to this approach is the idea of the public as an active participant in change, ather than as a passive and docile recipient of instructions or of dispensed assistance.”
- 14. Individual Freedom as a Social Commitment A variety of social institutions contribute to the process of development by enhancing and sustaining individual freedoms There is no “formula” for development
- 15. Freedom has a thousand charms to show, That slaves, howe’er contented, never know. - William Cowper
Editor's Notes
- “Economic growth cannot sensibly be treated as an end in itself. Development has to be more concerned with enhancing the lives we lead and the freedoms we enjoy. Expanding the freedoms that we have reason to value not only makes our lives richer and more unfettered, but also allows us to be fuller social persons, exercising our own volitions, and interacting with – and influencing – the world in which we live.”Quality over quantityMoney plays a role in what we can & cannot do“Low income can be a major reason for illiteracy and ill health as well as hunger and undernourishment, and conversely, better education and health help in earning of higher incomes.”
- Quite often economic insecurity can relate to the lack of democratic rights and liberties.No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy, whether rich (contemporary Western Europe & North America) or relatively poor (postindependence India, Botswana, & Zimbabwe)While famines are common throughout much of the dictatorial world, the leaders of the so-called “famine league” are North Korea & SudanFunctionings: various things a person may value doing or beingCapabilities: alternative combinations of functionings that are feasible to achieveRealized functionings: what a person is actually able to doCapability set: real opportunities
- Being relatively poor in a rich country can be a great capability handicap, even when one’s income is high by the world’s standards. In a generally opulent country, more income is needed to buy enough commodities to have the same social functioning. Ex. Social interactions; Post-abolition agricultural labor in U.S.
- Has to do with medical coverage, public health care, school education, law & order, prevalence of violence, and so on. African Americans are lower than the Asian groups despite having a significantly higher average income.But we need more than just survival. We’re striving after a higher quality of life.
- Wealth vs. Tradition polarityDecisions regarding cultural change shouldn’t be made by political figures, religious leaders, or sentimental historians – it should be made by the people. Basic education is requiredIs this practical?
- Economics is the assessment of what it takes for people to have a good living“Development should be assessed in terms of removing the unfreedoms from which the members of society may suffer.”A denial of opportunities of transaction, through arbitrary controls, can be a source of unfreedom in itself
- “The challenge of development includes both the elimination of persistent, endemic deprivation and the prevention of sudden, severe destitution.”– even more broadly – the operation of the political and social arrangements that can, directly or indirectly, influence people’s ability to acquire food and to achieve health and nourishment.”Sen states that government policy should be prepared to handle famine by integrating the role of government with efficient functioning of other economic and social institutions (trade, commerce, markets, political parties, NGOs, media, and institutions dedicated to public discussion)
- “ connection public policies that enhance gender equity and the freedom of women (particularly education, health care, and job opportunities for women) and individual responsibility of the family (though decisional power of potential parents, particularly the mother).”
- “The process of preventing famines and other crises is significantly helped by the use of instrumental freedoms, such as the opportunity of open discussion, public scrutiny, electoral politics, and uncensored media.“An adequate approach of development cannot really be so centered around only those in power. The reach has to be broader, and the need for popular participation is not just sanctimonious rubbish. Indeed, the idea of development cannot be dissociated from it.”
- It is not correct to conclude that capitalism as an economic system depends on self-interested behavior, rather than on a complex and sophisticated value system that has many other ingredients, including reliability, trust, and business honesty.High-minded/low-minded polarity
- Billions of people throughout the world are enslaved to low standards of living, low access to opportunity, and low expectation. They are content with living far below their potential because they have no idea how powerful they can be. Development and changing the world isn’t about putting money in their hands, but it’s giving them the opportunity to pursue their dreams.