Development and Quality of Life: A Critique of Amartya Sen's Development as Freedom

Abstract

Presented here is a critical analysis of some of the major theses of Amartya Sen, as presented in his seminal work Development As Freedom. The author suggests that Sen's work, while representing a major break with the dominant neoliberal position reproduced in most national and international development agencies, is insufficient to explain the key relationship between freedom and development. The absence of an analysis of the power relations that cause and reproduce underdevelopment through national and international political institutions leaves Sen's work wanting. The author shows how Sen's interpretation of events and the conclusions derived from them, such as an explanation of famine in Bangladesh, are insufficient--when not faulty. The author also critically analyzes the United Nations Development Program reports, which, while documenting the nature and consequences of underdevelopment, barely touch on the political context in which underdevelopment occurs.

A new methodology for multidimensional poverty measurement based on the capability approach

“…The capability approach developed by Sen (1985) has generated much criticism in the literature (see Navarro, 2000;Pogge, 2002;Nussbaum, 1987). The most virulent are those of Bénicourt (2004Bénicourt ( , 2006.…”

Analysing ICT and Development from the Perspective of the Capabilities Approach: A Study in South Brazil

“…Nevertheless, there are those who consider CA very individualistic, not giving enough attention to groups and social structures (Corbridge, 2002;Devereux, 2001;Gore, 1997;Navarro, 2000), or even that it is difficult to find a balance between its conceptual richness and its potential to be operationalized in the research, development and practice (Kleine, 2010).…”

“…Despite criticism about the difficulty of operationalizing and individualism (Clark, 2006;Devereux, 2001;Navarro, 2000), it is argued that CA, being a normative and evaluative approach, provides a rich theoretical framework for assessing ICT4D and enables important issues surrounding the adoption of ICT for development. Viewing development as the expansion of the capacity of human beings to lead lives as they value (Sen, 2000), ICT should be seen as a means to achieve this objective in the development process.…”

O discurso da comissão dos determinantes sociais da saúde: avanço político ou mudança retórica?

“…A idealização de uma política de crescimento voltada para os pobres requer ajustes macroeconômicos que prejudicam principalmente os pobres (Stotz,Araújo,p. 10 Se por um lado a obra de Sen, "Development as Freedom", desassocia o desenvolvimento social como desdobramento do crescimento econômico, mostra-se insuficiente na teorização da produção e reprodução do poder, estabelecida nas relações de propriedade dos meios de produção, que por sua vez definem o contexto político (Navarro, 2000).…”