Topic 5 - Economic development
“Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance.”
- Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations (2007 - 20216)
This topic explores the effects of changes in the size and structure of population, and other influences on (economic) development, in a variety of countries.
Click on the relevant hyperlink to access the InThinking resources for this section of the syllabus:
- Topic 5.1 - Living standards
- Topic 5.2 - Poverty
- Topic 5.3 - Population
- Topic 5.4 - Differences in economic development between countries
Teachers can click on the section below to see the changes to the new syllabus (first exams 2027).
Teacher only box
Please be aware of the following changes to this topic in the new syllabus, especially when using or referring to resource for the previous course, such as past exam papers.
- Topic 5.2.2 (Causes of poverty) - A fifth cause has been added to the syllabus: “environmental factors”, in addition to unemployment, low wages, illness, and age.
- Topic 5.2.3 (Policies to alleviate poverty and redistribute income) - A sixth policy has been added to the syllabus: “improved healthcare provision”, in addition to (i) promoting economic growth, (ii) improved education, (iii) more generous state benefits, (iv) progressive taxation, and (v) national minimum wage (NMW).
- Topic 5.3.2 (The effects of changes in the size and structure of populations) - this section of the syllabus has removed the need to interpret population pyramids from the previous Topic 5.3.3 (i.e., it is no longer assessed in Topic 5.3.2). However, age and gender distribution of population both continue to feature in the new syllabus.
- Topic 5.4 (Differences in economic development between countries) - There has been a change in terminology, with the new syllabus stating "causes and consequences of international differences", which was referred to as "causes and impacts of differences".
- Topic 5.4.1 (Causes and consequences of international differences) - "Natural resources" has been added as an eighth cause and consequence of international differences in economic development between countries, in addition to (i) income, (ii) productivity, (iii) population growth, (iv) size of primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, (v) saving and investment, (vi) education, and (vii) healthcare.
