What does “Development as Freedom” mean for international health?
Taryn Vian, MSc, Department of International Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 717 Albany Street, T4W, Boston, MA 02118, 617-414-1447, tvian@bu.edu In his book, Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen talks about the importance of freedom as both the end and the means of development. Even wealthy countries have not achieved development if some citizens do not enjoy basic liberties. According to Sen, important freedoms are political freedom, economic facilities and social opportunity, among others, including the “opportunity to receive basic education or health care.” These freedoms are not just important as a means to achieve higher income and a better standard of living-the commonly accepted measures of development-but because people treasure the ability to participate in their community and live the lives they want to live. What does Sen’s concept of development as freedom mean for international health? If we accept Sen’s thesis, what should we be doing differently in te
