Earlier this year, I embarked on a mission to read Amartya Sen's seminal work, Development as Freedom, from cover to cover. As part of this endeavour, I aimed to share insights from the book on this platform to engage with fellow readers. However, my journey was temporarily halted when I took on a new role with the British Council.
After nearly five months, I am now ready to resume this intellectual journey. without further ado, let me introduce the book.
Published in 1999 by Oxford University Press, Development as Freedom has significantly impacted the field of development economics. In this book, Amartya Sen, an economics Nobel laureate, redefines development as the expansion of the set of real freedoms that people enjoy. This perspective challenges and shifts focus away from traditional indicators such as GDP growth, industrialisation and technological advancements. While these indicators are important for bringing about economic development, Sen argues that they should be viewed as means to the ultimate end - enhancing human freedoms and capabilities.
Sen posits that true development should be measured in terms of expansion of the set of real freedoms that people enjoy. This broader perspective integrates social and economic arrangements with civil and political liberties. Thus, genuine development, according to Sen, is characterised by the broadening of individual's freedom and capabilities, rather than merely growth in income or technological progression.
In subsequent articles, I will delve deeper into Sen’s conceptualisation of development and explore the framework he proposes for assessing development. Stay tuned as we unpack the profound ideas that have reshaped our understanding of development today.
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