Final Comparative Politics posc 240

development

a multi-dimensional process that encompasses economic growth, social progress, and improvements in quality of life for individuals.

Measures of poverty: GDP

total value of goods and services produced in a country

Measures of poverty: Gross national income (GNI)

GDP plus net income earned from abroad

Measures of Poverty: Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)

an economic theory used to compare the relative value of currencies, reflecting what different currencies can purchase in terms of a common basket of goods. (adjusting exchange rates to account for differences in living costs in different countries)

Patterns in world distribution of income

high income concentrated in global northwith low income concentrated in the global south. This disparity highlights economic inequalities between developed and developing nations.

Global Gini

a measure of income inequality within a population, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents perfect inequality.

poverty

lack of access to basic human needs such as food, safe drinking water, sanitation, healthcare, and education.

international poverty line

$2.15 per day

Extreme poverty

severe deprivation of basic human needs

Global trends in poverty

overall global poverty has declined but remains high in SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, climate change and COVID have caused setbacks

Causes of Poverty

conflict, poor governance, lack of education, corruption, historical exploitation and structural inequality

cycle of poverty

self-reinforcing mechanisms that trap individuals & communities in poverty across generations

Sub-Saharan Africa Indicators

high child mortality, undernourishment, limited healthcare access, low literacy

Health, Hunger & Food Security

malnutrition remains widespread, food insecurity worsened by war, climate change and economic disruption

Human development index (HDI)

composite measure of life expectancy, education and per captia income—— more comprehensive than GDP alone (Northern and Western Europe, North America and parts of East Asia score HIGH; Sub-Saharan Africa scores LOW)

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

17 goals established by the UN in 2015 aimed at ending poverty, improving health, education, reducing inequality and tackling climate change by 2030

Goals of global development policies

• promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth

• eradicate poverty and hunger

• improve education and health, gender equality and environmental sustainability

Millennium Developing Goals (MDG)

8 international goals from 2000-2015 focused on poverty reduction, education, gender equality and health

• Achievements- include a reduction in extreme poverty, increased school enrollment, advancements in combating infectious diseases and improvements in maternal & child health

SDGs intentions, achievements & influencing factors

• intended to build on MDGs with broader and more inclusive goals

• progress uneven- conflicts, economic crisis, COVID-19 have hindered development

• countries widely vary in SDG performance due to governance, resource availability and institutional capacity

Development Assistance — Motivations

humanitarian, political (diplomatic influence), economic (market development) and strategic (counter terrorism)

Development Assistance — Trends

• rising aid to least developed countries, focus on health and education

• shift toward bilateral over multilateral aid in some countries

Official Development Assistance (ODA)

• government aid to promote development and welfare in developing countries

• can provide healthcare, education, infrastructure, governance training

• Forms: grants, loans, technical assistance

• Major Donors: U.S., Germany, UK, France, Japan

• U.S., public opinion often overestimates foreign aid spending

Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Countries

• OECD (organization for economic cooperation and development)—group of 30+ wealthy nations that coordinate with ODA

• Patterns: Europe provides more aid as of % of GNI than the U.S.

• DAC sets guidelines and monitors aid effectiveness

Ethnic diversity

variety of ethnic groups in a society

Cultural diveristy/pluralism

coexistence of multiple cultures in one area

Politics of Difference

political mobalization based on ethnic/cultural identity

Ethnic Differences

can be polticized to exacerbate conflict

inner-ethnic relations

integration, assimulation, seperation, marginalization, domination

Causes of ethnic violence

• historical grievances

• colonial legacies

• political exclusion

• economic disparities

• weak institutions

• trigger events often escalate latent tensions

Ethnic clashes in Developed countries

• often sparked by immigration, inequality, political rhetoric

• Ex: tensions in France or U.S. racial unrest

Ethnic violence in Developing countries

Ex: Sudan (Darfar genocide) & Myanmar (Rohingya crisis)

Myanmar Case Study:

Ethnic diversity

over 135 ethnic groups; major divides include Bamar V minorities (Rohingya, Shan, Karen)

• historical governance - long standing military rule, intermittent democratic reform

Myanmar Case Study:

Diversity and Democracy

• democratic opening in 2010s led to greater expression of ethnic grievances

• ethnic minorities still underrepresented

Myanmar Case Study:

Armed conflict

• ethnic armed organizations fighting for autonomy

• ceasefires often breakdown

Myanmar Case Study:

Current Government

• military junta reasserted control in 2021 coup

• repression of media and dissent

Myanmar Case Study:

Ethnic cleansing of Rohingya

• 2017 military led genocide, over 700,000 fled to Bangladesh

• international condemnation, ongoing refugee crisis

States V Nations

• state: politically -legal organization w sovereignty

• nation: shared identity based on culture, language or ethnicity

• nation-state: where state boundaries coincide w national identity (ex: Japan)

• Status: globalization and migration challenge nation-state model

Parliamentary V Presidential Systems

• parliamentary: executive from legislature; more responsive, less gridlock

• presidential: separation of powers; more stable terms, but potential for conflict

Democratic V Authoritarian

some authoritarian regimes mimic presidential structures with weak checks

Unitary V Federal Models

• Unitary: centralized power (ex: UK & France)

• Federal: shared power (ex: U.S. & Germany)

• Trade-offs: unitary is more efficient; federalism allows local autonomy but may entrench equality

Electoral & Party Systems

• proportional representation: factors multiparty systems and representation

• plurality systems: (1st past the post-FPTP-winner takes all) may simplify governance but underrepresent minorities

• trade-offs: proportional = more representation, less stability but plurality = more stability, less choice