Human Development in Iraq

1Human development theoryand Iraq's developmentalstory

Introduction

This book presents the story of development in Iraq from 1950 to 1990, viewed through the lens of human development theory. The beginning date is chosen because most economic and social data first become available around that time, and the last date is selected because it corresponds to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the imposition of crippling economic sanctions, followed by a devastating war in 1991. The interval thus represents a period of relative stability in which the development experience of the country can be evaluated.

The human development paradigm is used because, as I argue below, it represents the best way to assess development in a country such as Iraq and also ...