Development as a multidimensional process
It was once a worldwide belief that development is primarily concerned with economic growth, meaning that once there was economic growth a country would develop. This was so firmly believed that a number of theories, which were put across to explain development and how to achieve development, such as modernization theory, and dependency theory centered on economic growth being the key factor in development. There is no one definition of development, as persons have different interpretations of development.
The physical environment can have a direct impact upon development of a place. The UK benefitted in many ways from its physical or natural environment for its rise to global super power during the industrial revolution. Its island natural gave it a coastline to fully exploit for resources and many potential trade routes. It had the right mix of natural resources to exploit for many industrial processes, including coal, iron ore and limestone. It also had a temperate climate without the extremes of weather that can damage development. Many countries are not as fortunate and the following factors can limit development:
1. Climate related disease – Many topical countries unfortunately suffer from diseases that thrive in hot humid conditions, such dengue and malaria. People who get these diseases are incapacitated and cannot work or may even die, limiting development.
2. A lack of natural resources – countries with few natural resources start aff at a very low economic base and find it hard to create products that can sell on world markets.
3. Natural resource curse theory – this is a theory that states if a country has one very valuable resource all efforts of the country are put into exploration of that resource.
4. Being landlocked with bad neighbors – although this has a political element to it, countries that have no access to see are at mercy of their neighbors.
5. Climatic hazards – such as hurricanes and drought are more likely to strike some countries than others.
Social factors: there are many social factors that can affect the level of development of a place. Things like lack of drive of social motivation for betterment, unproductive social functions such as war or having very large family sizes, negative social cultures such as gambling and drinking, and lack of skills due to poor training and education are some of these factors. Education is particularly important, as many countries cannot afford to send all children to school even at a basic level.
Political factors: Governments play a lead role in the development process, and many governments are filled with honest people who do a good job raising both standard of living and quality of life of the people who live there. Unfortunately there are cases of governments that have corrupt officials who make money and wealth at the expense of the people that they are supposed to represent.
Cultural factors: culture play a lead role in the aspect of development, the role of culture in development should be treated as multilayer: on the one hand as an intrinsic value, on secondly as a real factor of regional development leading to the increase attractiveness of regions for tourist residents and investors, thirdly, ad an active factor of social development based on knowledge, tolerance and creativity.
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