Unit 3: Paper 2 — Development and Sustainability

Topic 3.1: Contested meanings: development, sustainability, poverty, inequality Questions

Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB Global Politics Topic 3.1. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.

1Distinguish15 marks
2026
"Only absolute poverty is real poverty." Discuss this view.
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2Discuss15 marks
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"Definitions of development that stress basic needs should be replaced by definitions that focus on well-being." Discuss this view.
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3Discuss15 marks
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"Development always results in inequalities." Discuss this view.
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4Discuss15 marks
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"Sustainability is only about protecting the environment." Discuss this view.
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5Evaluate15 marks
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Evaluate the claim that development means more than economic growth.
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6Evaluate15 marks
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Evaluate the claim that the challenges of sustainability mean that development may no longer be possible.
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7Examine15 marks
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Examine the view that environmental factors must be prioritized for development to occur.
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8Evaluate15 marks
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Evaluate the claim that economic growth is the best way to reduce poverty.
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9Examine15 marks
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Examine the view that reducing inequality matters more than increasing growth for development.
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10Discuss15 marks
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"Poverty is best understood as a lack of opportunities, not a lack of income." Discuss this view.
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11Examine15 marks
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"Developing society is more important than developing the economy." Examine this view.
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12Evaluate15 marks
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Evaluate the claim that inequality encourages, rather than prevents, development.
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13Discuss15 marks
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Discuss the view that sustainability cannot be achieved without global cooperation. (integrating: development & sustainability + the core concept of interdependence)
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14Examine15 marks
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Examine the view that global inequality is mainly the result of unequal power between states. (integrating: development & sustainability + the core concept of power)
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15Examine15 marks
2026
Examine the view that poverty is mainly a violation of human rights rather than an economic problem. (integrating: development & sustainability + rights & justice)
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16Discuss15 marks
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Discuss the view that inequality is a greater threat to peace than poverty. (integrating: development & sustainability + peace & conflict)
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17Examine15 marks
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Examine the view that pursuing sustainability harms the world's poorest. (integrating: development & sustainability + rights & justice + power)
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18Discuss15 marks
2026
Discuss the view that development is only possible if basic human rights are respected. (integrating: development & sustainability + rights & justice)
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19Discuss15 marks
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Discuss the view that poverty is a major cause of conflict. (integrating: development & sustainability + peace & conflict)
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20Examine15 marks
2026
Examine the view that development offers the greatest challenge to state sovereignty. (integrating: development & sustainability + the core concept of sovereignty)
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