Growth and development

It hardly seems like the time to be critical of economic growth! Most commentary on the global economy takes for granted that it would be quite nice to have a little growth at the moment. For with growth comes jobs, with jobs comes income and with income comes a higher standard of living.

But is economic growth the be all and end all of economic policy? My Year 13 economists are beginning to question whether economic growth necessarily implies development in the early stages of their final A2 module on development economics. I'll get around to looking at their first thoughts when I mark their blog task challenge based on the recent news about tyhe activities of a UK multinational mining company in India. Not long either before the same sorts of questions are posed to Year 11 economics and business students.

Both year groups will find the following link to a great resource on the BBC website useful. It provides a walk through of the United Nation's Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and is accessible to all students.

My challenge to Year 11 students

To what extent has China's recent impressive economic growth been desirable?