b:chP9-98.htm
GEOG 201
CHAPTER 9 STUDY NOTES
DEVELOPMENT
I Key Point 1 -- Location of more and less developed countries
B. Eastern Europe & the former Soviet Union
2. Given the fact that the people in the old Central Asia part of the Soviet Union were primarily Muslim, might the Russians have been glad to get rid of the former Central Asian Republics? (go back to the Political Geography chapter if necessary)
- HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX -- This basically the same process as is done in the United States to rank best cities or universities (or for you sports fans, the same technique used by the Seattle Times to rank college football teams, only the variables are changed but the technique is the same)
-What variables are used to create the Human Development Index (HDI). What does it describe. What continent generally has the lowest HDI measures? What two continents have the highest level? Compare HDI to per capita income (Figure 9-1 and 9-4). Look especially at Libya, China and India (Libya is next to Egypt in North Africa). Until recently China was our "communist enemy", currently we have a trade embargo against Libya, despite dictatorships have these countries been entirely bad for their people? Look at Central America. Should we expect political instability and a continued flow of illegal workers from this part of the world?
II. DEVELOPMENT -- DEFINITIONS
2. Does this imply that development is static or a dynamic process? Again, recall what was discussed in class and relate this to the United States
3. Might all of this mean that increased Women's rights in the United States is a form of development? What about minority rights or gay rights? What about democracy in a Third World nation?
III. Key Point 2 -- MEASURES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2) exchange rate problems
3) value of goods not always comparable across nations
4) goods and bads both included (what does this mean?)
5) growth may not be sustainable -- measures current consumption patterns not level of investment in the future
- SECONDARY
- TERTIARY
- QUATERNARY
2. Which types of employment predominates in developed countries? Which in less developed? What type of job will most of the students in class hope to obtain? What kind of employment is being highlighted in Figure 9-5? What kind of employment would be expected for the top countries in Figure 9-9?
C. PRODUCTIVITY
1. What is productivity? Why is it so important?
2. How does this relate to the effectiveness of the workforce?
1. Does this guarantee development? Explain.
2. Two approaches:
a. Sell it off
b. Combine it with technology to increase national wealth
1. This you should be well aware of based on living in a highly developed country
IV. Key Point 2 cont. -- SOCIAL & DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DEVELOPMENT
3. In Figure 8-7 in the Middle East what factors might account for the differences in the pattern of over-all literacy rate to female rates? What about China?
4. Compare India and Pakistan for female literacy rates, then look at GDP per capita, which of these countries might do better in the next 10 years? Now add China and Russia. Finally turn back to chapter 2 and compare natural increase rate. Where would you invest your IRA (Individual Retirement Account)?
B. DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
- NATURAL INCREASE RATE -- how is this and the next point related to development? Look back at chapter 2 if necessary.
- CRUDE BIRTH RATE
- AGE STRUCTURE -- look back at the population pyramids in Chapter 2, what is the clear difference here?
2. CULTURAL & ETHNIC INTEGRITY -- prior to the break-up of the Soviet Union the main thrust of the government was to Russify people, schools were taught in Russian whenever possible (not the local language) and social identity was to be based on the new "Soviet" man or woman (i.e. Russian). Was this development or control?
V. Key Point 3 -- PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2. Recall discussion about which societies have surpluses? How might surpluses be enhanced or increased?
3. Capturing surplus -- how might this be accomplished?
4. Investment of the surplus -- who might decide this in a developing country, what about a developed country like the USA (first think factories then think roads. Is your answer the same both times)?
5. Consumption versus investment -- who might decide how much goes to each? Does Income Tax in the United States effect this?
B. Two approaches to enhancing surpluses and furthering Development
1. International Trade Approach -- Summarized in Rowstow's stages of development model (see below) 2. self-sufficiency Approach -- typified by Maoist development of China (recall video clips)
C. Rostow's stages of development (go to your notes from class)
-what happens to the surplus
-what country might be at this level? How might we measure it?
-where is the surplus invested?
- what countries might be at this level?
3. Take-off
-what happens to the size of the surplus? Where is it invested?
-what countries might be at this level?
4. Drive to maturity
-what happens to the skills of the workforce?
-what happens to the size of the surplus? Where is it invested?
-again countries at this level?
5. Age of mass consumption
-what might happen to the trade flows (look at the labels in your clothes if you have any question)? why? what about consumption?
-countries at this level?
D. Ground truthing Rostow
2. East Asia -- four tigers (dragons) where do they fit?
E. Problems with International Trade approach
2. Will markets be open for exports from developing nations?
F. self-sufficiency