Chapter 1 · Question 1
Why do different people have different developmental goals?
Answer
Direct Answer
Different people have different developmental goals because their situations, needs, and priorities differ. A landless labourer may want more wages and work security, while a businessperson may want better infrastructure and profit. Development therefore cannot be judged by one goal alone.
Simple Explanation
People want different things from development because their lives and needs are different. A poor labourer wants more work and wages; a businessperson wants good roads and profit. One goal cannot fit everyone.
Exam-Ready Structure
Different people have different, and sometimes conflicting, developmental goals for the following reasons:
• Different life situations: People's occupations, income levels, and social positions shape what they need. A landless rural labourer's priority is more days of work, higher wages, and food security. A rich urban professional may prioritise better internet connectivity, leisure facilities, and career growth.
• Different aspirations: Development means different things to different people. For a girl in a poor family, it may mean going to school instead of working. For her brother, it may mean a stable job. For the parents, it may mean owning a small piece of land.
• Conflicting goals: What seems like development to one group may be harmful to another. A dam may provide electricity and irrigation to many people, but it may also displace tribal communities who lose their land, forests, and livelihoods. An industrial project creates jobs but may pollute the river that farmers and fishers depend on.
• Gender differences: Women and men may have different developmental priorities even within the same family. Women might prioritise safe drinking water and fuel, while men might prioritise cash crops or motorcycles.
• Development as a mix of goals: Because different people value different things — income, freedom, security, health, respect, clean environment — development is best understood as a combination of material and non-material goals that improve people's quality of life.
Therefore, development cannot be reduced to a single measure like income. It must be understood broadly enough to include the diverse aspirations of different people and groups.
Key Points
- Different people have different developmental goals because their situations, needs, and priorities differ.
- A landless labourer may want more wages and work security, while a businessperson may want better infrastructure and profit.
- Development therefore cannot be judged by one goal alone.