In this thesis, I evaluate the Human Development Index (HDI) as to contribute to
recent political and social debates on development cooperation. The focus lies on
the way development is usually approached. The HDI is a renown instrument to
assess countries’ performance in terms of development. However, the flipside of
high development is that it sometimes has inversely proportional effects on less
developed countries. This is not reflected in the HDI, as the HDI only indicates
countries’ level of income, longevity and knowledge
The evaluation of the HDI is based on a comparison between Amartya Sen’s
capability approach (the conceptual framework of the HDI) and Denis Goulet’s
theory of authentic development. Sen on the one hand stresses the need to expand
peoples capabilities to choose a life they have reason to value. Goulet, on the other
hand, argues that development should lead to life-sustenance, esteem and freedom
for every man and of the whole humanity. Both theories are explored according to
the reflected views on development, the goals of development and the values on
which the theories are based. This exploration is followed by a comparison of the
two theories in order to evaluate the HDI. Eventually I will argue in line with
Goulet’s ideas that the HDI should also include indicators of sustainability, solidarity
and austerity, in order to assess countries’ levels of authentic development.
| Date of Award | 1 Jan 2013 |
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| Original language | American English |
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| Supervisor | S. L. E. van Goelst Meijer (Supervisor) & P. H. J. M. Derkx (Supervisor) |
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