Development as access to opportunities that ensure wellbeing and growth

Development for me means providing access to different social, economic and political opportunities that allow individuals and organizations to live and grow according to what they consider to be quality of life, in order to pursue and achieve their productive aspirations. By productive aspirations I mean jobs, careers or creative endeavors such as the arts where people explore their own potential and create value for society.

I realize it is important to clarify what these different opportunities mean. Social opportunities refer to living in a safe environment, having access to healthcare, food, shelter, education, jobs and social networks. Economic opportunities refers to access to financial resources and knowledge needed to function in society. Lastly, political opportunities speak to the ability to organize and participate in society. I see these three types of opportunities as essential and interdependent.

I do agree with Amartya Sen’s view of development as freedom where individuals are born with certain set of capabilities that can either be exercised to their full potential or can be blocked by the environment in which they live. In sum, development means fulfilling basic needs and ensuring that children are born in safe, healthy and stimulating environments and grow into adults equipped with the necessary resources, knowledge and networks where they can exercise their productive aspirations.

Comments

[Elif]

I agree with you that development is closely associated with opportunities. It is the social, political and economic opportunities that pave the way for meeting the basic needs of the human beings. It seems quite difficult to provide a healthy, safe and educated life to all the people in universe. However, I find it more feasible to grant them the opportunity to be healthy, safe and educated through development. At least I hope so..

[Christina P]

I agree with your connection of development with opportunity. In class, we have talked about opportunity being one of the branches of poverty, and development goals certainly include alleviating poverty. I also appreciate your point about the kind of life that people in developed countries come to expect. One’s aspirations definitely include raising children and taking care of a family, which necessitates the availability of “social opportunities” you mentioned of healthy conditions and access to good food, clean water and medical care. Development is also about creating those institutions that satisfy people’s basic needs so that they can pursue opportunities to increase well-being.