National development
Topic: Measuring Development: Income, HDI and Sustainability · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 1 "Development"
Meaning
National development is about choosing a path of progress for the whole country. People hold different, and sometimes clashing, ideas of progress. So we must ask three things. Is the path fair and just for all? Is there a better way? Does it benefit many people or only a small group? In a democracy, these choices are settled through the political process.
Example
In Abidjan (Ivory Coast) in 2006, a ship dumped 500 tonnes of liquid toxic waste in open-air dumps and the sea. A multinational had hired a local company to get rid of the waste cheaply. Within a month, 7 people had died, 20 were in hospital and 26,000 were treated for poisoning. A few firms made a profit while local people paid the price. That is not national development.
Don't confuse with
- Economic growth: Growth is a rise in total output or income. National development asks who benefits and whether the path is fair to most people.