The politics of human development in India and China: It pays to invest in women and children

• Main Author: JOSHI, Devin K.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2012
• Subjects: China; Children; Democracy; Human Development; Ideology; India; Politics; State Capacity; Women; Asian Studies; Political Science; Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2422; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/3679/viewcontent/The_Politics_of_Human_Development_in_India_and_China__It_Pays_to.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

This article explores the attainments of China and India on measures of basic human development as ingredients of a long-term economic development strategy. It proposes that major differences in ideology and state capacity explain in part why India has fallen behind China. The analysis suggests that these relatively hidden political factors play an important role in transforming and advancing human development not only within India and China but also in other developing and emerging economies. The findings also support the notion that public investments in the capabilities of women and children have significant social and economic payoffs in both the short-term and in the long-run.