Book review

Development as freedom

Abstract

The article addresses the seminal work "Development as Freedom" by Amartya Sen, renowned Indian economist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. Sen proposes a vision of human development that goes beyond economic growth, emphasizing the importance of expanding individual freedoms. He identifies five types of instrumental freedom: political, economic, social, transparency, and protective security. Sen argues that these freedoms are crucial to empowering individuals and promoting truly human development. Furthermore, it highlights the need for institutions and policies that guarantee such freedoms. The text also highlights the relevance of these ideas for the Brazilian context, where social inequality and the lack of instrumental freedoms harm human development. In short, the article emphasizes the importance of freedom as a means and end of human development.