Dear colleagues, could you please explain if there is any relationship between classical economic theories of development and Amartya sens capability approach of development. Thank you very much.
Paul: There is no relationship. Economic theories are used to explain how the economy functions. Economic theories help the government determine what action to take on fiscal policy and monetary policy.
The Sen's Capability Approach is a model about individual behavior. It promotes moral action to help an individual achieve a desired value in their life.
The two are not related to each other.
Thank you very much Dr. Paul Stock for your kind reply. But when we think about sustainability and social development, do you think we can relate classical economics theory of Adam smith with Sen's theory where "justice" was mentioned?
Additionally, Adam smith mentioned humans are able to adapt to any conditions, whereas Sen wrote about capability. In my understanding adaptiveness and capabilities are somehow related to each other. I do not know whether my views are right or wrong?
There are certainly connections, but one has to understand that classical economic theory took a macro view (of course also mentioning people), while Sen's approach is about people and their capabilities. This follows a change in development paradigm of the 1980s ('The End of the Third World' and 'The end of Grand Theories in Developing Thinking'. In economics still macro economic perspectives prevail (comparing countries) while in other disciplines humans, their livelihoods, their agency (capability to achieve societal change) take much more importance. Still one cannot separate macro and micro: both are connected; the lives of people depend in many ways how the (macro) economy is doing and vice versa..... Capabilities are often also the result of macro societal forces (education, health, etc.....)
Thank you very much Professor Guzman for adding your valuable thoughts.
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