A Study On The Relation Between Economic Growth And Social Development

Development is the theme of the contemporary world, early economists considered development was equal to economic growth. However, facing the fact that some countries had economic growth without development, many economists pointed out that economic growth was not equal to development. Development is the organic combination between economic growth and social reform, to which more attentions are paid thereafter. The 16th National Party Congress addressed the problem of'Harmonious Development'for the first time and emphasized that construction of socialism harmonious society was the melody of today's development in China. This paper will try to analyze the importance of the coordination between economic growth and social development from economics perspectives and make a deep theory discussion on the relationship between them. Furthermore we would do some experience analysis and use the integrated evaluation indicators system of the social development to calculate and inspect the coordination situation between economy and society in Xiamen recently, which will offer scientific basis for the related policy.In the aspect of theory analysis, we use the economic growth theory to expose the relationship between economic growth and social development and stress the importance of the coordination between economic growth and social development. We think the following ideas: (1) Social development is the objective of economic growth. (2) Economic growth is the base of the social development. (3) The development of economy and society should be coordinated which is necessary for the optimal economic growth. Through the analysis of some representative economic growth models we know modern economic growth models are not only study growth. To some extent they also imply the important role of social development on economic growth, reflecting the necessity of the coordination of economic growth and social development.Moreover, on the basis of the theory analysis we amend the integrated evaluation indicators system of the social development in the light of the actual condition of Xiamen City and use the recent data of Xiamen to do some experience analysis of the coordination between economy and society. We find that though the social development of Xiamen lags the economic growth, the coordination of Xiamen is quite better compared to that of the whole country. Besides considering some delay exists when the results of economic growth transfer into social development, we can think that the relationship of economic growth and social development tends to be harmonious in Xiamen City. If the government continues to improve and adjust relevant policies, enforce the reform of the social causes system, and keep the steady increase of the investment in social causes, thus the social development and economic growth in Xiamen City can work under virtuous circle, which will do good to the sustainable development of Xiamen City.