The idea of development or progress has always been with us. We have aspirations or desires about what we would like to do and how we would like to live. Similarly, we have ideas about what a country should be like, what essential things we require, and how people should live together with more equality.
Different people seek different things based on their aspirations and desires. What may be development for one may not be development for another; it may even be destructive for the other.
An individual's notion of development can conflict with another's. For example, a girl expects as much freedom and opportunity as her brother, which her brother may not like. Similarly, industrialists may want more dams for electricity, but this may submerge land and disrupt the lives of displaced tribals.
While more income is a common desire, people also seek non-material things like equal treatment, freedom, security, and respect. Money, or material things, is only one factor on which our life depends; the quality of our life also depends on non-material factors.
For development, people look at a mix of goals. For instance, if women are engaged in paid work, their dignity in the household and society increases, but a safe and secure environment is also required to allow more women to take up jobs or run businesses.
Just as individuals have different goals, their notions of national development are also likely to be different and sometimes conflicting. National development involves thinking about fair and just paths for all, and whether a policy benefits a large number of people or only a small group.
To compare countries, their income is considered one of the most important attributes. Countries with higher income are considered more developed than those with less income.
Since countries have different populations, comparing total income does not tell us what an average person is likely to earn. Therefore, we compare the Average Income, which is the total income of the country divided by its total population:
$$\text{Average Income} = \frac{\text{Total Income of Country}}{\text{Total Population}}$$
Average income is also called Per Capita Income.
While averages are useful for comparison, they hide disparities. They do not tell us how income is distributed among people. A country with equitable distribution is preferred over one where most citizens are poor and a few are extremely rich, even if both have the same average income.
When comparing regions, we must look beyond per capita income to other crucial developmental attributes.
While Haryana has a higher per capita income than Kerala, Kerala has a much lower Infant Mortality Rate ($6$ vs $28$) and higher literacy rate ($94\%$ vs $82\%$). This shows that high income does not automatically guarantee better social indicators.
Money in your pocket cannot buy all the goods and services that you may need to live well. For example, money cannot buy a pollution-free environment or protection from infectious diseases unless the whole community takes preventive steps.
The cheapest and best way to provide essential services (like security, education, and healthcare) is collectively. Many children can study because the government opens schools and provides facilities. Similarly, the Public Distribution System (PDS) ensures food security in states where it functions well.
Published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Human Development Report compares countries based on educational levels, health status, and per capita income.
HDI ranks countries out of 193 nations. Key components include:
Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.