Globalisation Boosts Development for Some, Widening Gaps and Environmental Disparities (Edexcel A-Level Geography): Revision Notes
π Revision Notes
Globalisation Boosts Development for Some, Widening Gaps and Environmental Disparities
Development
π Generally means the way in which a country tries to progress economically and improve the quality of life for its citizens
β³ Shown by economic indicators, but also social and political criteria
Measuring Development
π Development is measured through use of both single and composite measures
| Measure (Single/Composite) | How it is Calculated | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| ECONOMIC MEASURES | ||
| Gross Domestic Product per Capita | Divides the wealth created within a country by the population size | β Estimation of GDP is hard as the earnings of every citizen & business need to be taken into account, inc. the informal sector β Each country's GDP is additionally manipulated to account for the real cost of living |
| Gross National Income | Takes the wealth created by a country and its expenditures and divides this by the population of the country | β Value is also often modified to take into account the real cost of living |
| Economic sector balance | Country estimates the contribution that difference economic sectors make to total national income | β As a country develops there is often an increase in secondary and then tertiary industries |
| SOCIAL MEASURES | ||
| Human Development Index | Ranks countries according to economic criteria (GDP) and social criteria (literacy, life expectancy). | β The 3 rankings are processed to produce a number between 0 and 1 |
| Gender Inequality Index | Examines the disparity between men and women by considering maternal mortality rates, females in education & parliament, and participation in the workforce | β Views differ greatly on its usefulness as a measure β It is often heavily influenced on cultural factors such as traditional roles of women etc |
| ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES | ||
| Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution | Compares pollution levels in 3000 cities with health limits, recognising links between air pollution and health risks | β Only analyses cities (Urban), rural farming practices not always taken into account |
| Ecological footprint | Compares annual use of biosphere resources and services with reserves to calculate the amount of ecological deficit | β Not very precise as it underestimates the impact of human activities on the biosphere |
Winners & Losers of Globalisation
The Gini Co-Eο¬cient
π Used to measure inequality:
- Values vary between 0 (perfect equality) and 100 (perfect inequality)
- The lower the value, the more evenly household income is distributed
- β΄ it is an overall measure of the extent to which households receive an equal share of income
-
The Gini Co-Eο¬cient*
Economic Winners and Losers
π The distribution of global wealth as a result of globalisation is significantly uneven
| Winners | Losers |
|---|---|
| β Billionaires β’ The richest 1% have seen their share of global wealth greatly increase β Average incomes have risen in all continents, except the poorest parts of Africa β Middle classes is the emerging economies have seen their income dramatically increase β Absolute poverty has fallen worldwide | β The poor: There has been a widening of the average income gap between people living in the world's wealthiest and poorest countries β Workers in sweatshop factories β’ poor working conditions β Unemployed workers in the traditional industries of developed world countries (Detroit) β The fact absolute poverty is falling worldwide, hides the fact that poverty is still a significant issue |
Environmental Winners and Losers
| Winners | Losers |
|---|---|
| β Protection of some of the culturally significant areas of the environment β World agreements have been made to try and protect the environment as best as possible | β Climate change β Loss of biodiversity β Transformation of 40% of the Earth's terrestrial surface into productive agriculture land has led to habitat loss β Industry has exhausted underground aquifers in some regions |
Development & Environmental Changes Since 1970
- Average income per capita in Asia has increased over the absolute poverty threshold easily
- Large income gains have been made in some parts of N Africa
- Incomes in some African countries have remained closer to the poverty line
- Poverty still common in some sub-Saharan countries
- Poverty & β political extremism has resulted in falling life expectancy due to conflict
- Still significant political instability