South Africa

What are competing arguments of the main theories of development?

Some of the competing arguments of the main theories of development can be looked at through a question asked in class; "How much government should intervene?" This question has many answers directly related to theories of development. Theories such as dependency theory and Third World Socialism fight for greater government involvement in the economy in order to better balance the world's economy. These theories state that the global south struggles to hold a spot among industrialized nations due to the unfair and unbalanced economy that has been created by the Western world. Arguments coming from theorists who believe in modernization believe the opposite. They feel privatization is the answer and that all countries go through a series of stages on the way to development.

What are the connections between human development and sustainable development?

The definition of sustainable development provided by the UN conference on Environment and Development, 1996 encompasses a major part of human development. Sustainable development is meant to ensure attainment and continued satisfaction of human needs. These human needs include basic physical, social, and political requirements needed for survival and security. These two forms of development strive for human beings rights to civil liberties. In some ways, sustainable development is a guideline or pathway to achieving better quality of life, which is a main focus of human development.

What roles do gender, labor and environment play in determining levels of development?

When there is a lack of equality between gender, a lack of labor regulation, and a lack of natural resources, a country can become stifled in its attempt