Income and Other Goals
People desire regular work, better wages, and decent prices for their crops or other products that they produce. People also seek things like equal treatment, freedom, security, and respect of others. They resent discrimination. Some people might also think that these may be more important than more income or more consumption. Material goods are not all that you need to live.
Money or material things are very crucial for our lives.
The quality of our life also depends on non-material things. Various values like freedom, equality and justice do not have material value and cannot be measured but are very important for our lives.
If you get a job in o fiar off place. before accepting it you would try to consider many factors, apart from income, such as facilities for your family, working atmosphere, or opportunity to learn. In another case, a job may give you less pay but may offer regular employment that enhances your sense of security. Another job, however, may offer high pay but no job security and also leave no time for your family. This will reduce your sense of security and freedom.
For development, people look at a mix of goals. For example, women are respected more in their houses if they are engaged in paid work. Women also expect help in household work. Along with that, they expect a safe and secure work environment which might encourage women to take up a variety of jobs or run a business. This proves that developmental goals that people have are not just about better income but also about other important things in life.
Example 1.
Complete the table given below:
|
Developmental Goals of Different Categories of Persons |
|
| Category of Person |
Developmental Goals Aspirations |
| (A) Landless rural Labourers | More days of work and better wages; Local school is able to provide quality education for their children; there is no social discrimination and they too can become leaders in the village. |
| (B) Prosperous farmers from Punjab | Assured a high family income through higher support prices for their crops and through hardworking and cheap Labourers they should be able to settle their children abroad. |
| (C) Farmers who depend only on rain for growing crops | |
| (D) A rural woman from a landowning family | |
| (E) Urban unemployed youth | |
| (F) A boy from a rich urban family | |
| (G) A girt from a rich urban family | She gets as much freedom as her brother and ¡s able to decide what she wants to do in life. She is able to pursue her studies abroad. |
| (H) An adivasi from Narmada valley | |
Answer:
(C) Farmers who depend only on rain for growing crops: Artificial irrigation technologies, better seeds and more water from canals.
(D) A rural woman from a landowning family: opportunities to work, higher education
(E) Urban employed youth: better employment opportunities
(F) A boy from a rich urban family: Opportunities to study in abroad, better jobs
(H) An Adivasi from Narmada valley: rights to the products of the forest, rights to their native lands, opportunities to preserve their culture
Example 2.
Why do different persons have different notions of development? Which of the following explanations is more important and why?
(a) Because people are different.
(b) Because the life situations of people are different.
Answer:
(b) Because the Life situations of people are different.
Explanation: Different people have different life situations which make them aspire for different development goals.
Example 3.
Do the following two statements mean the same? Justify your answer.
Statement (I): People have different developmental goals.
Statement (II): People have conflicting developmental goals.
Answer:
No
Explanation: They do not mean the same because different does not necessarily mean conflicting interests.