Flashcards covering: Development & Uneven Development DRC Case Study (Rostow Model, MDGs, TNCs & Banro Corporation, Aid)
An improvement in standards of living and quality of life through better use of resources
Development
LIDCs
Low Income Developing Countries
Poor countries that have a narrow range of jobs and services
EDCs
Emerging & Developing Countries
Countries transitioning from a LIDC to an AC
ACs
Advanced Countries
Wealthy countries that have a wide range of jobs and many services
Countries are classified according to…
Wealth
Trade Links
Development Levels
Development around the world is…
Uneven
Constantly Changing
4 Types of Industry
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Quaternary
Social Development
Improvement in human welfare
Economic Development
Increase in total goods and services produced
Environmental Development
Investment into infrastructure and green spaces
Economic Indicators
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Gross National Income (GNI)
Social Indicators
Literacy Rate
Doctors per 1000 people
Life expectancy
Malnutrition
HDI
Composite indicator with a scale of 0-1, taking into account:
Life expectancy (S)
Education (S)
GNI (E)
Human factors impacting development (Historical & Political)
Industrialisation (Historical)
War & Conflict (Political)
Colonisation (Historical)
Global Links (Political)
Physical factors impacting development
Resources for trade
Rainfall Reliability
Tourism
Terrain
Natural Disasters
Why are LIDCs more vulnerable to uneven development?
They are located in areas often affected by negative human and physical factors.
Poverty
Hunger
Lack of shelter
Unemployed
Ill, and unable to afford a doctor
Illiterate
Obstacles to development
Debt
Trade
Political Unrest
Political Unrest
Dissatisfaction with current governments, potentially leading to conflict, protests and strikes
Location of DRC
Central Africa
Almost landlocked
Borders Angola, Tanzania, Uganda etc…
HDI of DRC
0.37 as of 2022
DRC’s main industry is…
Primary (Mining)
What resources does the DRC have?
Minerals, such as copper, cobalt, tin and diamonds
Fossil fuels, like oil and coal
As a result of exploitation, miners in the DRC…
Face economic hardship
Barely make a living
Colonisation in DRC
Belgium (1885-1960)
Forced 450 groups into 1 state. 10m deaths
Ended in 1960
Corruption in DRC
Mobutu (1965-1997)
Hindered development
Stole ~$6bn in aid
Overthrown in 1997
Historical corruption in DRC caused:
Lack of funding
Displaced workforce
Exploitation of resources
Present day in DRC:
Kabila (to 2019)
Felix Tshisekedi
Slight economic growth
Debt has reduced
The DRC is Stage … on the Rostow Model
Stage 2
Stage 3 of Rostow Model
Take off
Stage 4 of Rostow Model
Drive to Maturity
Rostow’s Model
Predicts a country’s level of economic development over time
Traditional Society
Subsistence farming, fishing and forestry
Little to no trade
Pre-conditions for Take Off
Manufacturing starts
Infrastructure develops
Trading begins
Take off
Rapid growth
Industrialisation
Increasing wealth
Drive to Maturity
Economic growth continues
Improved standards of living
Tertiary & Quaternary industry develops
High Mass Consumption
Lots of trade
High levels of consumption
Quaternary industry develops further
Limitations of Rostow Model
Doesn’t always take into account:
Human factors, like colonisation, political unrest
Physical factors, like location and climate
Uneven development in countries and regions
MDG 1
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
MDG 3
Promote gender equality and empower women
MDG 4
Reduce child mortality
DRC’s progress on ‘Reducing extreme poverty and hunger’ (MDG 1)
Poverty decreased (71→ 63%)
Malnutrition increased (51→66%)
60m live on $1.90 a day (73% of DRC)
Food is expensive, and wages are low
DRC’s progress on ‘Promoting gender equality’ (MDG 3)
Girls finishing primary school doubled (32→65%)
Recruitment of 28 women lawyers
Inequality increased. Men earn more in jobs
More than 50% of pregnant women are malnourished
14% considered underweight
DRC’s progress on ‘Reducing child mortality’ (MDG 4)
Death rate of < fives decreased (176→120 per thousand)
Increased number of measles vaccinations (20→70%)
Better protection against childhood illnesses
Projects were regional, so success varied due to different funding
Export
Goods and services sold/traded with other countries for a profit
Import
Goods and services brought into a country
Trade surplus
More exports than imports. Leads to economic growth
Trade deficit
More imports than exports
DRC’s main exports
Copper
Base metals
Ores, slag and ash
Mineral fuels
DRC’s main exporters
China (20-50%)
South Africa, Zambia (10-20%)
DRC’s trade status
Until recently, trade deficit - Weakens economy
Exports mainly primary goods
Imports mainly machinery and electronics
Conflict minerals and human rights violations
China’s investment into DRC
$9bn deal w/ mining companies (2007)
$6bn for infrastructure, like roads, schools, hospitals
$3bn into mining operations
Trade balance -$783m → +$208m
Downsides of trade in DRC
Vulnerable to falling global prices (Raw material reliance)
Dependency on China (90% of mining plants are Chinese)
Environmental issues - Deforestation and pollution
Uncontrolled exploitation of resources (Due to demand)
Benefits of trade in DRC
Removed $12.5bn worth of debt
Economic growth (+7%)
Establishes trade links, attracting more trade and TNC investment - Improves QoL and wealth
TNCs
Trans-national Corporations
Involved with international production of goods or services.
Invests in many countries. Factories are often in LIDCs or EDCs
HQ often in ACs
Banro Corporation
Canadian Mining TNC, HQ in the Cayman Islands
Invested in DRC since 2004 due to its rich mineral resources
First gold mine opened in 2011 - 45km SW of Bukavu
Banro’s Operations in the DRC
4 mines: Namoya, Twangiza, Kamituga, Lugushwa
Positive Impacts of the Banro Corporation
Employs 2700 Congolese
Offers apprenticeships
Supports farming and road building projects
Provided money for road maintenance and construction
Donated ambulances to hospitals and cows to local people
Negative Impacts of the Banro Corporation
Miners have to use manual tools
Locals forced out of homes and fertile land
Some people promised jobs have not received one
No stable access to food or drinking water
Protests and conflicts are common
Government and Banro are focusing on profits, not the locals
Aid
Any form of needed assistance by countries, institutions or charities to another. Includes money, or resources like food and medical
Top-down Aid
Governments or organisations decide the aid should be spent/distributed
Bottom-up Aid
Aid given directly to the locals
Short-term Aid
Aid given to help cope with emergencies
Long-term Aid
Aid give over a long period from governments or organisations to increase development
Positive impacts of aid in the DRC
Promotes industry and economy growth
Provides better education, so they can get better jobs
Funds projects to improve QoL
Emergency programmes have provided essentials for those affected
Negative impacts of aid in the DRC
Some aid were weapons; did not help citizens
Corrupt officials can and have taken aid for themselves
China’s $9bn aid had to be used for mining and infrastructure
Aid might not benefit those who live in rural areas
Could become dependent on aid
Obstacles to aid in the DRC
Corruption and mismanagement of resources
Poor transport links and networks
Exploitation of resources, hindering economic development
Example of long-term, bottom up aid in the DRC
Goat aid
Provided goats to women to improve diets; cheese and milk
They can sell products or offspring for income; reduce poverty
Small scale; only benefits a few women
Cause land degradation if overgrazing occurs
Top-down development in the DRC
Inga Dam
West DRC, costing $80bn
Produces sustainable and renewable electricity equal to 20 nuclear power stations
Electricity can be exported, increasing income
Regulates water flow
Expensive and takes a long time to build
Destroys habitats and farmland; causes relocation
Can cause flooding
Action Aid
International NGO helping women and girls in poverty
Helps escape child marriage and violence
Improves education and inequality