This book review was written by Eugene Kernes
“Expansion of freedom is viewed, in this approach, both as
the primary end and as the principal means of development. Development consists of the removal of
various types of unfreedoms that leave people with little choice and little
opportunity of exercising their reasoned agency. The removal of substantial unfreedoms, it is
argued here, is constitutive of development.” – Amartya Sen, Preface,
Page Number 14
“Development requires the removal of
major sources of unfreedom: poverty as well as tyranny, poor economic
opportunities as well as systematic social deprivation, neglect of public
facilities as well as intolerance or overactivity of repressive states. Despite unprecedented increases in overall
opulence, the contemporary world denies elementary freedoms to vast numbers –
perhaps even the majority – of people.” – Amartya Sen, Introduction, Page 21
“If we have reasons to want more wealth, we have to ask:
What precisely are these reasons, how do they work, on what are they contingent
and what are the things we can “do” with more wealth? In fact, we generally have excellent reasons
for wanting more income or wealth. This
is not because income and wealth are desirable for their own sake, but because,
typically, they are admirable general-purpose means for having more freedom to
lead the kind of lives we have reason to value.” – Amartya Sen, Chapter 1, Page
31
Is This An Overview?
Wealth is a means of obtaining what a person wants. Freedoms are a reward for the efforts in
obtaining wealth. Wealth is meaningless
without the freedom of choice and opportunity to use the wealth, to exercise
one’s agency. Freedoms enable people to
use their capabilities, which improve personal and collective outcomes.
Development is a process of expanding freedoms that people
have, by removing unfreedoms. Unfreedoms
are poverty, tyranny, low economic opportunities, social deprivation, neglected
public facilities, and intolerance of repressive states. Various states have restricted political
liberty, with the claim that that the restrictions were for economic
development. But there is more evidence
of economic development within politically inclusive systems.
How Do Markets And Government Affect Society?
Markets and governments can enrich or harm human lives. Statecraft provides social support, public
regulations. Markets provide
opportunities for freedom to exchange products, gifts, are a method of how
people interact. Rejection of labor
markets, causes people to be in bondage and captivity. Arbitrary restrictions on markets leads to
deprivations of economic opportunities.
Economic unfreedom brings social unfreedom. Social or political unfreedom brings economic
unfreedom.
What Freedoms?
The freedoms focused on are political freedoms, economic
facilities, social opportunities, transparency guarantees, and protective
security.
Political freedoms are about the ability to disagree with
state officials. Economic facilities are
the ability to use economic resources.
Social opportunities are access to public infrastructure. Transparency guarantees provide for equitable
governance. Protective security are the
social safety nets for preventing abject misery.
Caveats?
Can be difficult to read.
The examples are varied and numerous, but would take more research to
understand each.
