To truly understand a country’s level of development, it’s important to examine the possessions people have in their homes, say economists Rutger Schilpzand and Jeroen Smits from Radboud University. Traditional research on low- and middle-income nations often centers on income, health, or education, yet these metrics obscure the complete picture of a country’s reality.
“That’s why, for the first time, we are mapping out how the material wealth of households is developing,” Schilpzand explains. The scholars refer to this growth in material wealth for households as the ‘domestic transition.’
In wealthy countries, it’s challenging to envision life without a refrigerator, a television, or a washing machine; however, prior to 1960, these essential items were rare in most households. The transition was rapid: just fifteen years later, these conveniences became commonplace in nearly every home. The researchers identify this shift from a society where households owned minimal such items to one where nearly every household had them as “the domestic transition.” In their study, they outline the implications of this transition for developing countries and the factors that facilitate a quicker progression.
The various appliances found in households of wealthy nations today symbolize the essential criteria necessary for achieving a decent standard of living.
“Virtually every household in the world that is wealthy enough to buy such items actually does so,” says Smits. “And that’s not surprising, as behind all the colorful images we see of markets in developing countries or women washing clothes in a river lies a huge burden of time and energy, which mostly falls on the shoulders of (house)wives.”
“Buying a refrigerator or washing machine immediately reduces their workload and creates space for spending their time in more productive ways,” agrees Schilpzand. “The domestic transition is therefore an important prerequisite for strengthening the position of women worldwide.”
While affluent countries completed their domestic transitions decades ago, many developing nations are still navigating this journey, with some only just beginning. Researchers sought to determine if the transition in these emerging economies mirrors the patterns observed in Western nations several decades prior. This trajectory typically begins slowly and then accelerates rapidly toward widespread adoption of specific items, eventually reaching a saturation point.
To explore this, they studied TV and refrigerator ownership across 1,342 diverse regions in 88 low- and middle-income countries. The findings revealed that the transition indeed follows a remarkably similar pattern to that of the West. However, significant differences were noted both between and within countries regarding the phase and pace of this transition.
Smits says, “Whereas China and Mexico have already pretty much completed the transition, in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, it has barely begun. There, basic needs, such as food, clothes, and shelter, have to be met first before people can even think about buying a refrigerator.”
The information also indicates that the shift begins sooner and advances more quickly in urban areas. Additionally, areas with greater economic growth and elevated education levels undergo a quicker transition. A more advantageous proportion of children and elderly individuals relative to the working-age population seems to be significant as well.
“Our analyses have given us a better understanding of the situation of households in developing countries, what is still needed to ensure a reasonable standard of living there, and how quickly this could be achieved,” explains Schilpzand.
Journal reference:
- Rutger Schilpzand, Jeroen Smits. The Domestic Transition: Progress Towards Decent Living of Households in Low and Middle-Income Countries. Journal of International Development, 2024; DOI: 10.1002/jid.3965