Economic Development · 4 question types
Past paper frequency (2018 to 2024)
This topic accounts for approximately 9% of your exam marks.
Reasons for development gaps and the role of trade, aid, and investment come up frequently in Section B; typically 6 to 8 marks.
Not every country follows the same path, but the historical pattern of successful development looks roughly like this:
Countries that have climbed this ladder fast in recent decades (South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Ireland) typically combined trade openness, FDI inflows, heavy investment in human capital, strong institutions and a stable macroeconomic environment. Countries stuck in early stages usually have weakness in at least one of these areas.
Convergence between developed and developing countries has been uneven: some developing countries are catching up rapidly while others continue to lag behind. The development gap is not closing automatically.