2.6 ndian onom
countries were broadly classified into three scholars of the London School of Economics in
categories with a range of points on the index: 1999 which concluded that, Bangladesh was the
(i) High Human Development Countries: most developed country in the world with the
0.800–1.000 points on the index. USA, Norway, Sweden getting the lowest ranks
(ii) Medium Human Development in the index.
Countries: 0.500–0.799 points on the Basically, it is very much possible to come
index. out with such an index. As for example, we may
(iii) Low Human Development Countries: say that peace of mind is a necessary element of
0.000–0.499 points on the index. development and betterment in human life which
depends heavily on the fact as to how much sleep
The Human Development Report 2016 is
we get everyday. House theft and burglary are
discussed in Chapter 20.
major determinants of a good night’s sleep which
the DebAte continues in turn depends on the fact as how assured we
go to sleep in our homes at night from burglars
Though the UNDP commissioned team had and thieves. It means we may try to know a good
evolved a consensus as to what constitutes sleep by the data of thefts and burglaries in homes.
development, academicians and experts around Since minor house thefts and burglaries are under-
the world have been debating this issue. By reported in police stations, the surveyor, suppose
1995, economies around the world had officially tried to know such cases with data as how many
accepted the concept of human development ‘locks’ were sold in a country in a particular year.
propounded by the UNDP. Basically, the UNDP In this way a country where people hardly have
designed HDR was used by the World Bank since anything to be stolen or no risk of being burgled
the 1990s to quantify the developmental efforts of might be considered having the best sleep in night,
the member countries and cheap developmental thus the best peace of mind and that is why this
funds were allocated in accordance. Naturally, will be the most developed country.
the member countries started emphasising on Basically, the HDI could be considered as one
the parameters of income, education and life possible ways of measuring development which
expectancy in their policymaking and in this was evolved by the concerned group of experts with
way the idea of HDI got obligatory or voluntary the maximum degree of consensus. But the index
acceptance around the world. which calculates the development of economies
For many years, experts and scholars came up on certain parameters might be overlooking
with their own versions of defining development. many other important factors, which affect the
They gave unequal weightage to the determinants development of an economy and standard of
defining development, as well as selected some living. As per experts, such other determinants
completely different parameters which could affecting our living conditions might be:
also denote development in a more suitable way. (i) cultural aspects of the economy,
Since quality is a matter of value judgement and
(ii) outlook towards aesthetics and purity of
a normative concept, there was scope for this
the environment,
representation. Most of such attempts were not
prescriptions for an alternative development (iii) aspects related to the rule and
index, but they were basically trying to show the administration in the economy,
incompleteness of the HDI, via intellectual satires. (iv) people’s idea of happiness and prestige,
One such attempt was made by economists and (v) ethical dimension of human life, etc.