Instead, students together with their teachers are encouraged to suggest their own answers by analyzing and synthesizing the information presented here. They should engage in open discussions of problems that have no simple solutions, in order to formulate their own opinions and support them with objective data and rational arguments. Many of the answers inevitably involve value judgments, which makes absolute objectivity impossible. It is up to readers to define for themselves the meaning of a better life and to prioritize the goals of development. Perhaps, the main strength of this book is that it is based on abundant statistical data for most countries, presented in data tables at the end of the book as well as in figures, maps, and references in the text.
Statistics can be powerful tools for learning.
They can help paint a more accurate picture of reality, identify issues and problems, and suggest possible explanations and solutions. But statistics have their limitations too. They are more reliable for some countries than for others. And because it takes a long time to collect and verify some statistics, they may be out of date before they are even published. The statistics presented here were the most recent available when this book was written.