Section B: The Changing Economic World
Overview
A child born in one country can expect to live into her eighties. A child born the same day in another can expect barely more than fifty years. Neither child chose anything. The difference between them is the development gap, and this section is about what causes it, how we measure it, and whether any of the things done to close it actually work.
You will learn to handle the measures examiners put in front of you, from gross national income per head to the Human Development Index, and to say what each one hides as well as what it shows. You will link a country's position on the Demographic Transition Model to its level of development, and separate the physical, economic and historical causes of uneven development from its consequences. Then you will study one country in depth, Nigeria, and follow it from a colonial economy exporting raw materials to the largest economy in Africa, taking in transnational corporations, oil, aid, debt relief and what all of it has and has not done for ordinary people's quality of life.
Objectives
- There are global variations in economic development and quality of life.
- Various strategies exist for reducing the global development gap.
- Challenges of rapid economic development Some LICs and NEEs are experiencing rapid economic development which leads to significant social, environmental
- and cultural change.
- Different ways of classifying parts of the world according to their level of economic development and quality of life.
- Different economic and social measures of development: gross national income (GNI) per head, birth and death rates, infant mortality, life expectancy, people per doctor, literacy rates, access to safe water, Human Development Index (HDI). Limitations of economic and social measures. Link between stages of the Demographic Transition Model and the level of development. Causes of uneven development: physical, economic and historical. Consequences of uneven development: disparities in wealth and health, international migration. An overview of the strategies used to reduce the development gap: investment, industrial development and tourism, aid, using intermediate technology, Fairtrade, debt relief, microfinance loans. An example of how the growth of tourism in an LIC or NEE helps to reduce the development gap.
- A case study of a LIC or NEE to illustrate:
- the location and importance of the country, regionally and globally
- the wider political, social, cultural and environmental context within which the country is placed
- the changing industrial structure; the balance between different sectors of the economy; how manufacturing industry can stimulate economic development
- the role of transnational corporations (TNCs) in relation to industrial development; advantages and disadvantages of TNC(s) to the host country
- the changing political and trading relationships with the wider world
- international aid: types of aid, impacts of aid on the receiving country
- the environmental impacts of economic development
- the effects of economic development on quality of life for the population.
Mind map
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Section B: The Changing Economic World. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which of the following is a social rather than an economic measure of development? A. Gross national income per head B. Share of exports from manufacturing C. Infant mortality rate D. Foreign direct investment per year Answer: C
- Which three components are combined in the Human Development Index? A. Income, life expectancy and years of schooling B. Income, birth rate and literacy C. Life expectancy, literacy and access to safe water D. Income, employment and access to electricity Answer: A
- In Stage 2 of the Demographic Transition Model, population grows rapidly because: A. The birth rate rises while the death rate stays the same B. The death rate falls while the birth rate stays high C. Both rates fall together D. Immigration exceeds emigration Answer: B
- Which of the following is a historical cause of uneven development? A. Being landlocked B. A high burden of malaria C. Colonial rule that organised the economy around exporting raw materials D. Reliance on a single commodity export today Answer: C
- What is the main purpose of microfinance loans? A. To cancel a country's national debt B. To fund very large infrastructure projects C. To lend small sums to people with no collateral so they can start a business D. To guarantee farmers a minimum price for their crop Answer: C
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