HUMAN CAPABILITY APPROACH : A VEHICLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE

 HUMAN CAPABILITY APPROACH : A VEHICLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE                                                                                                                                                                             It is important to take note also of the instrumental role of capability

expansion in bringing about social change (going well beyond economic

change). Indeed, the role of human beings even as instruments of change

can go much beyond economic production (to which the perspective of

“human capital” standardly points), and include social and political

development. For example, as was discussed earlier, expansion of female

education may reduce gender inequality in intrafamily distribution and

also help to reduce fertility rates as well as child mortality rates.

Expansion of basic education may also improve the quality of public

debates. These instrumental achievements may be ultimately quite

important—taking us well beyond the production of conventionally

defined commodities.

In looking for a fuller understanding of the role of human capabilities,

we have to take note of:

1) their direct relevance to the well-being and freedom of people;

2) their indirect role through influencing social change; and

3) their indirect role through influencing economic production.

The relevance of the capability perspective incorporates each of these

contributions. In contrast, in the standard literature human capital is

seen primarily in terms of the third of the three roles. There is a clear

overlap of coverage, and it is indeed an important overlap. But there is

also a strong need to go well beyond that rather limited and

circumscribed role of human capital in understanding development as

freedom.

Taken from page no 316 of DEVELOPMENT AS FREEDOM By Prof Amartya Sen