Development is a process that creates growth, progress and positive change. It includes a rise in living standards and the improvement of social services, such as education and health care. It also means expanding economic opportunities without damaging natural resources. The concept of development has many meanings and is contested by people all over the world. For some, it’s tied to ideas of modernisation and linear progress that were developed in the post-World War II period. For others, it is a way to distinguish between countries that are richer or poorer than others, often using GDP per capita as a measure.
There is also a broad understanding of development as a holistic concept, and a belief that it requires the creation of conditions for human well-being, including eradicating poverty and hunger, eliminating disease, providing adequate shelter and safe drinking water, and promoting social and economic justice. It also calls for good governance, transparent administration and people-centred policy making.
The development discourse has also become increasingly culturally bound, and the idea that there are different levels of development is a result of the unique characteristics of individual societies. For instance, the level of development is influenced by factors such as a country’s population structure and its economic system. It is therefore difficult to compare the level of development across different cultures. In addition, culture influences the way in which the concept of development is applied to specific situations and problems.