What does human development mean?
With ‘reform’ discourse dominating many sectors, it is important to look at what we understand as human development and the role it plays in reforms
For an equitable and disparity-free Bangladesh, people must remain at the centre of everything. Therefore, the issue of human development emerges in every reform discussion.
For example, legal reforms highlight the equal rights of the people, the discussion on public administration reforms has brought fore the issue of participation and the banking reforms focus on access to services.
Since people are at the centre of reforms, and the notion of human development becomes crucial in the reform discourse, it is logical to ask: what is meant by human development?
The question is relevant since the concept of human development is often confused with the notions of "human resource development," "the basic needs approach" and "human welfare."
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
However, the idea of human development is broader and deeper than these three notions.
Human resource development treats human beings simply as an input in the production process but not as beneficiaries of development.
The basic needs approach concentrates on meeting the minimum needs of human beings as food, clothes, and shelter but does not speak of expanding human choices.
Human welfare sees human beings as passive recipients of development outcomes but not as active participants in the development process.
On the other hand, human development is defined as expanding human choices, both as a process and as an outcome. Now the expansion of choices would require two things – on one hand, it would require enhancing human capabilities, and on the other, creating opportunities to make use of those capabilities.
Human capabilities can be enhanced through education, health, nutrition, training etc and opportunities can be created through jobs and employment, developing entrepreneurship, credit facilities etc.
If a balance is struck between capabilities and opportunities, human development would be optimal. If capabilities are more than opportunities, human frustration would occur, while if opportunities are more than capabilities, there would be missed opportunities.
In the ultimate analysis, human development is the development of the people, development for the people and development by the people.
Development of the people is synonymous with human resource development, development for the people implies that the benefits of development must be available to everyone equitably and effectively. Development by the people means that people would not remain as passive recipients of development but would be active agents in the development process.
Therefore, the notion of human development is broader and deeper than that of human resource development, the basic needs approach and the concept of human welfare.
If the expansion of choices and enhancement of capabilities are the basis of human development, a relevant question is, which sets of capabilities?
For long, both from an analytical point of view and from practical considerations, only material well-being capabilities and standard of living were emphasised in the human development framework.
As a result, education, health and nutrition were stressed, and income was highlighted. Thus, the notion of human development is not something linear.
With regard to the role of income in human development, two things must be highlighted – first, income is a necessary condition for human development but not a sufficient condition. Human development cannot be captured in or explained by income only.
In the context of the above, five observations are critical.
First, human development is a process as well as an outcome. Thus, not only are human development outcomes important, but the processes through which those outcomes were achieved are also crucial.
Second, even though it is important in human development, income is not the sum total of human lives.
Third, if the basic aspects of human development, such as education and health are achieved, the other dimensions of it become achievable.
Fourth, since human development focuses on the expansion of the capabilities of every human being, the notion of gender equality is implicit in the concept.
Fifth, human development speaks not only of the present generation but also of future generations.
The important human capabilities that were beyond the well-being capabilities and did not come into the classic notion of human development are those of voice and autonomy, participation and the balance between human beings and nature.
But all these dimensions are important for human well-being and for the overall human development. Humans cannot be satisfied only with material achievements, but they also want the freedom of expression as well as the platform, where they can exercise this freedom.
They like to participate in the events, the processes and the decisions that affect their lives. Capabilities in these areas are critical. On many occasions, people do not realise the impacts of the physical environment and biodiversity on human lives.
Often, they tend to think that these issues are important for future generations only, but not for the present ones. However, preserving nature and biodiversity is important for human development.
We must understand the crucial importance of the balance between the environment and us and have to acquire the capabilities to maintain that equilibrium.
Unfortunately, in the analytical framework of capabilities, issues of inequalities and disparities did not come directly – they were part of the peripheral discussion. But if we want to build a society free from inequalities and disparities, both the processes of human development and its outcomes must be equitable.
Therefore, there cannot be inequalities and disparities neither in enhanced capacities nor in expanded opportunities. Even though it is often stressed that the notion of human development is solidly anchored in the concept of human rights, the linkages between human rights and human development are not always clear.
Similarly, the relationship between human development and human security should also be clearly specified. In the past, in efforts to refine the concept of human development, all these issues surfaced again and again in the debate.
Besides all these issues, the classical notion of human development and capabilities seemed not to have touched some of the critical aspects of human lives.
For example, development has an ethical dimension. Yet, with few exceptions, ethics are not prominently addressed in development discourses. The notion of ethical development needs to be prioritised within the framework of capability development. Similarly, we must develop the capabilities to respect others and uphold human dignity.
Even though we have acquired material well-being capabilities, we have yet to achieve ethical capabilities. We discriminate against people from people, we do not show respect to every human being, irrespective of his colour, creed and social status; we do not recognise the dignity of every human being. We often show intolerance and do not recognise or respect alternative views.
But human development deeply requires these human capabilities.
From an analytical perspective, the notion of human development is uniquely individualistic. So, if the well-being of every individual in a society improves, the human development of the society as a whole will be enhanced.
It is a mathematical altruism. However, there may be tensions between the individual and the collective human development. For example, some groups in a society may be keen to enhance certain sets of capabilities, while other groups want to pursue other sets of capabilities.
It is not always clear as to how, under such circumstances, the trade-off between the two would be decided and how the social choice would be made. The classic human development model does not discuss how the notion of individualistic human development would be reconciled with collective choice.
Thus, in the ultimate analysis, human development is not only about material well-being or standard of living rather capabilities of voice and autonomy, participation and balance between man and nature are equally important. Concerns of human rights and human security must be brought in solidly in the analytical framework of human development.
Development must be integrated with ethical concerns and issues related to ethical development – capabilities to respect others, be respectful of human dignity, tolerance and openness to alternative views – are all part of the overall human development.
Dr Selim Jahan is the Former Director of the Human Development Report Office and Poverty Division, United Nations Development Programme, New York, US
