Question

Which Pakistani economist is credited with changing the focus of development economics from national income accounting to people-centered policies and producing the Human Development Report (HDRs)?

• A. K. N. Raj
• B. Amartya Sen
• C. Paul Streeten
• D. Mahbub ul Haq

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Mahbub ul Haq

Mahbub ul Haq and the Human Development Approach

• Mahbub ul Haq (1934-1998) was a prominent Pakistani economist who significantly influenced global development discourse.
• He served as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Affairs of Pakistan from 1982 to 1988.
• Haq is widely credited with challenging the traditional view of development, which primarily focused on national income accounting (e.g., Gross National Product - GNP or Gross Domestic Product - GDP).
• He argued that economic development should be measured by the well-being of people, shifting the focus towards people-centered policies. This new approach emphasized human capabilities and choices.
• His vision led to the conceptualization and launch of the Human Development Report (HDR) series.
• The first Human Development Report was published in 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Haq, as the architect and chief editor, led the team responsible for producing the early HDRs.
• A core component of the HDR is the Human Development Index (HDI), which Haq developed in collaboration with the Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen.
• The HDI is a composite statistical index that measures a country's overall achievement in three basic dimensions of human development:
  • A long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy at birth).
  • Knowledge (measured by mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling).
  • A decent standard of living (measured by Gross National Income per capita, adjusted for purchasing power parity).
• The shift championed by Haq underscored that economic growth is a means to human development, not an end in itself.
• His work continues to influence global development strategies and the measurement of progress beyond purely economic indicators.