Other reports in this collection 3.3. Economic and Social Development 3.3.1. The UN defines development as the furthering of human choices. Such choices are neither finite nor static. Arguably, choices are only possible once basic human needs for food, shelter, health care, safety, and education have been met.
Poverty is therefore an important indicator of the absence of satisfactory economic development.
Alleviation of poverty is an essential prerequisite for human development. Beyond the satisfaction of basic needs, the issue of what constitutes development involves many cultural, social, and economic dimensions that cannot be resolved by scientific methods, but are inherently a question of values, preferences, and policies. GDP is defined as the monetary equivalent of all products and services generated in a given economy in a given year. GNP equals GDP plus the net balance of international payments to and from that economy. Few questions were asked about the underlying resource base for GDP growth and whether or not it was sustainable.