Capabilities and Human Development: the critical role of Development: the critical role of social institutions and social competencies Frances Stewart
Introduction Introduction • Individuals cannot flourish or even function alone. • Families/neighbourhoods/society essential for survival and flourishing. • Yet ca and HD approaches primarily focus on individual • What is role of collective entities? • How can social institutions be incorporated into H i l i tit ti b i t d i t CA/HD? • what what • is a process of enlarging people’s choices 2
CA and HD approaches CA and HD approaches • CA (Sen ad Nussbaum) – aim of development is to expand individuals’ capabilities (what they can be or do). • CA difficult to measure. CA difficult to measure. • HD concerned with expansion of individual choice: – ‘Human development is a process of enlarging people’s choices’ choices – In practice focus on functionings [what people are or do] rather than ca because of measurement issues. – But still the individual is focus. B t till th i di id l i f • ‘Human development is a process of enlarging people’s choices. 3
Where does ‘social’ fit in Where does social fit in • Etzioni: a ‘basic observation of sociology and t o : a bas c obse at o o soc o ogy a d psychology is that the individual and the community ‘penetrate’ one another , and that individuals are not able to function without deep d d l bl f h d links to others’. • How can social be integrated into ca approach? H i l b i t t d i t h? • 3 stage analysis: – 1. Where the social enters: a description 1 Wh th i l t d i ti – 2. Some analysis – 3 implications for HD: research; data; policy 3. implications for HD: research; data; policy. 4
Brief definitions Brief definitions • Social institutions defined as all collective institutions excluding market ones (includes institutions, excluding market ones (includes state at each level; communities; NGOs…) Main concern here with non state social Main concern here with non ‐ state social institutions. • Following North, institutions include F ll i N th i tit ti i l d organisations and norms • Social competencies are what such institutions can do or be 5
Why essential for HD Why essential for HD • Social institutions have direct impact on HD Social institutions have direct impact on HD outcomes: • Actually deliver essential services etc • Actually deliver essential services etc. • Norms of behaviour affect HD outcomes. • Social institutions affect power which affects S i l i tit ti ff t hi h ff t market outcomes; and state policies and i implementation. l t ti 6
Requirements for human flourishing: or critical CA i i l • Surveys of y – Range of philosophers (Rawls; Finnis, Boyle et al; Nussbaum) – Basic needs theorists (Doyal and Gough) Basic needs theorists (Doyal and Gough) – Focus groups with poor people (Narayan ‐ Parker) – Surveys of opinion (Camfield). • Result in 9 basic categories: bodily wellbeing; material • Result in 9 basic categories bodily wellbeing material wwell being; mental development; work; security; social relations; spiritual wellbeing; empowerment and political freedom; respects for species and liti l f d t f i d environment. • For each social institutions one essential influence 7
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Critical role of norms • Social norms include ‘moral’ commandments and non ‐ ethical Social norms include moral commandments and non ethical conventions. Norms affect behaviour and HD outcomes as shown in Table. And sometimes social institutions constrain individual choices (children; women especially) individual choices (children; women especially). • Part of poverty trap (e.g. early marriage; dowery; discrimination against women). g ) • Norms and education: sending children to schools (girls and boys); support for learning at home. • Norms and health: use of bednets; hand washing; smoking 9
Formation of Norms Formation of Norms • How do norms come about? How do norms come about? • Some rules state legislated. • Many informal conventions: outcome of numerous Many informal conventions: outcome of numerous informal interactions among agents in a society. • Societal dynamic, influenced by history, religion, Societal dynamic, influenced by history, religion, education, state, social interactions. V. complex and insufficiently studied. • Huge variation in richness and competencies of social institutions across societies. Yet almost never catalogued. Particularly norms. 10
Norms and autonomy Norms and autonomy • Norms and institutions limit individual autonomy. – norms are internalised so individuals are not truly autonomous but preferences and choices partly the outcome of social norms. – Cannot assume autonomous individuals because Cannot assume autonomous individuals because ‘Individual and the community penetrate on another’ – Then who is best judge of individual decisions? 11
Dilemma posed by mutual penetration of social institutions and individual for CA/HD approach pp • For HD ‐ promotion must recognise that social institutions For HD promotion must recognise that social institutions affect choices and behaviour. • Nature of social norms and institutions become critical aspect of HD. Need to support HD ‐ promoting and avoid HD ‐ destroying norms. • Yet who decides what is HD ‐ promoting, given non ‐ Y t h d id h t i HD ti i autonomy of individual? • No simple answers: state should not decide • No simple answers: state should not decide. 12
Approaches to identifying HD, independently of individual choices d d l f d d l h • Nussbaum: overlapping consensus • Vizard: internationally agreed Human Rights • Common denominator of philosophical enquiries? (as Table). 13
Are social competencies always HD ‐ promoting? • Clearly not: so ‘good’ and ‘bad’ social institutions and competencies. • Big issue: how to differentiate; and encourage good, discourage bad. g , g 14
Aggregate societal features Aggregate societal features • Table shows how each individual category is affected g y by social institutions. • Can we identify general features of social institutions at different levels which are supportive of good CA t diff t l l hi h ti f d CA outcomes? (including society; community; family). • Note: societal features may affect different CA Note: societal features may affect different CA differently. Rather low correlation among different dimension (Ranis, Stewart, Samman 2006). • Trade ‐ offs possible: e.g. material well being versus spiritual; material versus environment… 15
Macro level assessment ‐‐ aggregate social dimensions of a society. l d f • Might be many hD ‐ promoting social Might be many hD promoting social institutions, yet not satisfactory society at macro ‐ level: – Dysfunctional families (living alone; or oppressive families); – Relations across cultures limited: ‘silo’ society. – Hierarchical society, little contact across levels – Stratified society: little social mobility. f d l l l b l • All relevant to aggregate social assessment. 16
2. Social institutions and power 2. Social institutions and power • State not autonomous and ‘platonic’. St t t t d ‘ l t i ’ • Decisions outcome of political pressures. • Policy change depends on political struggle. Individuals Policy change depends on political struggle. Individuals alone are powerless; only acquire power by forming social institutions: • Market conditions also influenced by formation of • Market conditions also influenced by formation of groups. • At: – Micro ‐ level – Meso ‐ level – Macro ‐ level Macro level 17
Micro level: importance of collective organisations • Sex ‐ workers in Calcutta: fragmented, exploited Se o e s Ca cutta: ag e ted, e p o ted and weak group came together into group and improved material conditions and self ‐ respect ( (Gooptu). ) • Squatter Women in Capetown (Crossroads) formed group and successfully challenged state ‐ f d d f ll h ll d t t evictions, contributed to overthrow of apartheid. • Scavengers’ organisation into coops greatly • Scavengers organisation into coops greatly improved conditions ‐ Colombia earned 1.5 of minimum wage. g 18
Meso ‐ level: Political movements • Orang Asli in Malaysia formed Peninsular Malaysia Orang Asli Association from 18 groups to protect culture and improve state treatment • Luhya in Kenya became political force through Luhya in Kenya became political force through formation of single organisation (the Luhya Elders Forum) • Rural indigenous people in Peru • Rural indigenous people in Peru – some areas some areas organised collectively to promote security and improve conditions; other areas with no organisation penetrated by Shining Path But all weak because of penetrated by Shining Path. But all weak because of weak local state to negotiate with. • Brazil landless workers movt. Took over millions of acres, built schools etc. b il h l 19
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