preview

Democracy and Economic Development in Mexico and Russia Essay

Decent Essays

Why is it that some countries are classified as developed and others not? What is the criteria used to determine this? Some people believe that within the criteria to evaluate a country’s development, democracy and economic development must be taken into consideration, and that a link exists between them. Democracy can be defined as a form of government in which people choose their leaders by voting, it also implies equal rights and treatment. (Merriam Webster n.d.) By the other hand, economic development can be defined as the progress in an economy referring to an improvement of living standards, the adoption of new technologies and the transition form an agricultural to an industrial based economy. (Business Dictionary n.d.)
Mexico and …show more content…

In the other hand, Russia has a GDP per capita of 14,037US$, considered as high income for Russians. (The World Bank 2014)
I believe that having a GDP per capita as an indicator of economic development in a country is totally wrong, because it is not taking into consideration how the gross domestic product of a country is being distributed. They are not valid indicators to talk about the economic development of a country, because in the case of Mexico at least, there is a 52.3% of the population who are poor and their income is by far, less than the average GDP per capita. (The World Bank 2014) For the freedom indicators, I believe that they are valid and truly represent the situation of both countries.
As stated before, some people argue that there is a relationship between both indicators, with economic development causing democracy. Based on the data presented here, I would say that that might be true in some countries, but not in the ones that have been addressed here. For example, Russia has a greater GDP per capita than Mexico, but it is considered to be a not free country, while Mexico is a partly free one with a lower GDP per capita. Yes, Russians might have a greater income per capita, but they are not free people. In sum, it can be said that democracy and economic development play huge roles in the development of a country, however these are not the only factors that need to be taken into consideration, and it

Get Access