Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answers to this item should be based on the passage only. The IMF has pointed out that the fast growing economies of Asia face the risk of falling into 'middle-income trap'. It means that average income in these countries, which till now have been growing rapidly, will stop growing beyond a point - a point that is well short of incomes in the developed West. The IMF identifies a number of causes of middle-income trap-none of which is surprising-from infrastructure to weak institutions, to less than favorable macroeconomic conditions. But the broad, overall cause, says IMF, is a collapse in the growth of productivity. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage?
Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answers to this item should be based on the passage only. The IMF has pointed out that the fast growing economies of Asia face the risk of falling into 'middle-income trap'. It means that average income in these countries, which till now have been growing rapidly, will stop growing beyond a point - a point that is well short of incomes in the developed West. The IMF identifies a number of causes of middle-income trap-none of which is surprising-from infrastructure to weak institutions, to less than favorable macroeconomic conditions. But the broad, overall cause, says IMF, is a collapse in the growth of productivity. Which among the following is the most logical, rational and critical inference that can be made from the above passage? Correct Answer Once a country reaches middle income stage, it runs the risk of falling productivity which leads to stagnant incomes.
The correct answer is Once a country reaches middle income stage, it runs the risk of falling productivity which leads to stagnant incomes.
Key Points
- The given passage states the IMF views on the fast-growing economies of Asia, which are gradually moving towards the middle-income trap; that is, the point where the average income of these economies will become stagnant.
- The reason for this, according to the IMF, is the fewer efforts to improve the infrastructure of the weak institutions and bad macroeconomic conditions, which will gradually affect the overall growth of the Asian nations, make their economy sluggish, and will ultimately stop the growth of productivity.
- From the above lines, it can be concluded that - Once a country reaches middle income stage, it runs the risk of falling productivity which leads to stagnant incomes.
Hence, the correct choice is option 1.