Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Developmental goals of different groups often conflict because development benefits some while harming others.

Example: Industrialists want large dams to generate more electricity — a developmental goal. However, building these dams submerges tribal lands, displacing communities like those in the Narmada valley. For industrialists, the dam is progress; for tribals, it is destruction of their homes and livelihoods.

This conflict arises because different groups have different aspirations based on their circumstances. It reveals that development is not a universal concept — what is development for one group may be harmful or even destructive for another.

Source: Chapter 1 — What Development Promises: Different People, Different Goals

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• The examiner expects a named example (dam/tribals from the textbook) — don't give a vague answer.
• Two key points must come through: (1) the conflict explained with the example and (2) the conclusion that development is not universal/means different things to different people.
• The phrase "what may be development for one may not be development for the other — it may even be destructive" is almost directly from the textbook; paraphrasing it scores well.
• Avoid over-explaining; 3 marks = one focused example + one clear inference.