CARIBBEAN STUDIES

FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT

FACTORS
Political ideologies
Distribution of wealth
Changing class boundaries
Natural and man-made disasters
Impact of productive sector
Tourism

Political ideologies- Definition

Ideologies are the sets of basic beliefs about

the political, economic, social and cultural
affairs held by the majority of people within
as society.

An ideology is a collection of ideas.

Typically, each ideology contains certain
ideas on what it considers to be the best
form of government and the best economic
system (e.g. capitalism, socialism, etc.).

Political ideologies

A political ideology largely concerns itself

with how to allocate power and to what
ends it should be used.

Political ideologies have two dimensions:

Goals: How society should function or be
organized.
Methods: The most appropriate way to achieve
this goal.

Political ideologies
Ideologies also identify themselves by their
position on the political spectrum (such as
the left, the centre or the right), though this
is very often controversial.
THE LEFT / LEFT-WING

liberty. The freedom of speech and the right to

dissent.
equality. A classless society with the
redistribution of wealth through a welfare state.
fraternity. The communal brotherhood, working
and living as one.

Political ideologies

THE RIGHT/ RIGHT-WING

authority. The preservation of order through an
evolved authority.
hierarchy. The continuation of the existing
social order.
property. The right to private ownership.

Political ideologies - Types

absolutism. System where the rulers have unlimited control.

anarchism. Society without government, laws, police or other
authority. System of self-control.
aristocracy. The privilege of social class whose members
possess disproportionately large percentage of society's
wealth, prestige and political influence.
autocracy. Supreme political power is in the hands of one
person whose decision are unregulated..
capitalism. Right-wing political system where the principle
means of production and distribution are in private hands.
communism. Extreme left-wing ideology based on the
revolutionary socialist teachings of Marx. Collective ownership
and a planned economy. Each should work to their capability
and receive according to their needs.

Political ideologies - Types

conservatism. Governmental system where the existing

institution are maintained, emphasizing free-enterprise and
minimal governmental intervention.
democracy. Government by the people usually through
elected representatives.
dictatorship. Government by a single person with absolute
control over the resources of the state.
egalitaranism. Belief where all citizens have equal rights and
privileges.
fascism. Extreme right-wing ideology where the existing
social order is protected by the forcible suppression of the
working class.
imperialism. The extension of power and rule beyond
established geographical boundaries.

Political ideologies - Types

liberalism. Representative government, free-speech, abolition

of class privilege and state protection of the individual.
Marxism. Developed by Marx and Engles, it proposes that all
is subject to change and resistance to change necessitates
the overthrow of the system through class struggle.
Maoism. Interpretation of Marxist communism emphasizing
the development of agriculture.
Monarchy. A form of rule in which the head of state is a King
or Queen.
nationalism. The unification of the state and release from
foreign rule.
oligarchy. A system of government in which virtually all power
is held a small number of wealthy people who shape policy to
benefit themselves.

Political ideologies - Types

populism. Collective noun for the ideologies which
demand the redistribution of political power and
economic leadership to the 'common people'.
socialism. Left-wing political system where the
principle means of production, distribution and
exchange are in common ownership.
theocracy. Rule by the church.
totalitarianism. Government control of all
activities.
Trotskyism. Form of Marxism incorporating the
concept of permanent revolution.

Political ideologies Caribbean

Promote
Capitalist or free state/enterprise- dominant
political ideology of the Caribbean

Hinder
Marxist-type revolutions- attempts at increasing
human equity (Grenada, 1979; Cuba,1959;
Guyana, 1960-70s)

Distribution of wealth

Promote
Social Mobility: the movement of a person from one status to another,
either between generations or within a person's adult career.
Measure: index of social and economic equalization

Hinder
Poverty:- unable to provide basic needs
If human development is about enlarging choices, poverty means that
most basic opportunities and choices to human development are
denied. From a human development perspective, poverty means
more than the lack of what is necessary for material wellbeing. Recognising the poverty of choices and opportunities implies
that poverty must be addressed in all its dimensions, not income
alone.

Distribution of wealth
Inequality: Measure:
Levels of income
Human poverty Index: a measurement system based
on what is lacking in different areas of the world. and
it gathers data in developing countries and in those
with higher incomes so a basis for comparison
Gini Index-The Gini index is defined as a ratio of the
areas on the Lorenz curve diagram.
The Gini Index is a measure of the inequality of a
distribution, a value of 0 expressing total equality
and a value of 100 maximal inequality.

Distribution of wealthCaribbean

Gini Index Values (2004)

Haiti -65
St. Vincent & the Grenadines- 60
U.S. 36

High levels of poverty can coincide with a

high Gini Index e.g. St. Vincent & the
Grenadines
Low levels of poverty can coincide with a
high Gini Index e.g. Antigua & Barbuda

Changing class boundaries

Promote
Social Mobility: the movement of a person from
one status to another, either between generations
or within a person's adult career.

Changing class boundaries

Hinder
Social Stratification: a hierarchy of positions with
regard to economic production which influences the
social rewards to those in the positions.
Social Exclusion
Social exclusion is a broader concept than poverty,
encompassing not only low material means but the
inability to participate effectively in economic, social,
political and cultural life and in some characterisations
alienation and distance from mainstream society
(Duffy,
1995).

Natural and man-made disasters

Promote
Employment generated
Increased planning: social, physical
Infrastructural development: roads, bridges etc.

Hinder
Destruction of the environment
Man-made, Natural

Changes in developmental plans

Immediate aid
Diversion of funds and resources

Impact of Productive Sector

Promote
Reduced dependency on imports
Increased foreign exchange earnings
Employment generated

Hinder
Increased environmental degradation
Pollution
Toxicity
Global warming / Carbon footprint

Tourism

Promote
Human resources development; skills
Economic Development: jobs, foreign exchange
Increased Linkages: agricultural development

Hinder
Increased environmental degradation
Pollution/Toxicity
Beach erosion, Habitat Destruction

Resentment among locals/Racial tensions

Leakage: profits leave country

Appendix

The three indicators of the human poverty

index (HPI)
The first deprivation relates to survival: the likeliness of
death at a relatively early age and is represented by the
probability of not surviving to ages 40 and 60 respectively
for the HPI-1 and HPI-2.
The second dimension relates to knowledge: being
excluded from the world of reading and communication and
is measured by the percentage of adults who are illiterate.
The third aspect relates to a decent standard of living,
in particular, overall economic provisioning.

Sources
http://www.fisicx.com/quickreference/politic
s/ideologies.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_i
deologies
http://www.sociologyguide.com/questions/so
cial-stratification.php
http://cop.mdgasiapacific.org/files/cop/APMDG-Social/20071113_egm_avatthi.pdf
(all rights reserved by relevant authors)