decades of developmental path with varied results. Till the late 1970s, all of them were maintaining the same level of low development. The last three decades have taken these countries to different levels. India, with democratic institutions, performed moderately, but a majority of its people still depend on agriculture.
Infrastructure is lacking in many parts of the country. It is yet to raise the level of living of more than one- fourth of its population that lives below the poverty line. Scholars are of the opinion that political instability, over- dependence on remittances and foreign aid along with volatile performance of agriculture sector are the reasons for the slowdown of the Pakistan economy. Yet, in the recent past, it is hoping to improve the situation by maintaining high rates of GDP growth.
It was also a great challenge for Pakistan to recover from the devastating earthquake in , which took the lives of nearly , people and also resulted in enormous loss to property. In China, the lack of political freedom and its implications for human rights are major concerns; yet, in the last three decades, it used the ‘market system without losing political commitment’ and succeeded in raising the level of growth alongwith alleviation of poverty. You will also notice that unlike India and Pakistan, which are attempting to privatise their public sector enterprises, China has used the market mechanism to ‘create additional social and economic opportunities’. By retaining collective ownership of land and allowing individuals to cultivate lands, China has ensured social security in rural areas.
Public intervention in providing social infrastructure even prior to reforms has brought about positive results in human development indicators in China. Recap Ø With the unfolding of the globalisation process, developing countries are keen to understand the developmental processes pursued by their neighbours as they face competition from developed nations as also amongst themselves. Ø India, Pakistan and China have similar physical endowments but totally different political systems. Ø All the three countries follow the five-year plan pattern of development.
However, the structures established to implement developmental policies are quite different.