Question

Explain an improvement in the Physical Quality of Life Index as an indicator of economic development.

Answer 1

Physical Quality Life Index (PQLI):

• Increase in national income and per capita income has a number of limitations. Hence, these two are not the real indicators of economic development.
• If the income of the country has increased but if the rise is seen only by a limited class of people then it cannot be termed as development.
• The development of a country should be such that the living standards of the poor rise and the basic requirements of the citizens are fulfilled.
• Keeping these things in mind Morris Davis Morris developed the Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI).
• PQLI attempts to measure the quality of life or well-being of a country. This index refers betterment of physical quality of life of human beings as economic development.
• In order to derive the index of PQLI, the level of physical quality of life i.e. PQL is determined through various indicators.
• If a country’s physical quality of life is higher than that of the other country, then that country is considered as more developed.
• Morris included three indicators or say determinants for measuring the physical quality of life.

These three determinants are

1. Literacy,
2. Life expectancy and
3. Infant mortality rate.

• Thus, PQLI = Literacy level + Life expectancy index + Infant mortality index.

After 2003, three more aspects were included in PQLI and Quality of Life Index (QLI) was prepared in the world.