Which barrier to economic development is illustrated when a country experiences high levels of illiteracy, poor health care, and limited access to education?

• A. Natural resource abundance
• B. Technological advancement
• C. Low human capital
• D. Trade restrictions

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of human capital, which refers to the skills, knowledge, and health that individuals accumulate, enabling them to be productive members of the economy.
2. Recognize that high levels of illiteracy, poor health care, and limited access to education directly affect the quality and quantity of human capital in a country.
3. Identify that low human capital acts as a barrier to economic development because it limits the workforce's ability to perform complex tasks, innovate, and improve productivity.
4. Compare the other options: natural resource abundance, technological advancement, and trade restrictions, and see that they do not directly relate to the issues of education and health described in the problem.
5. Conclude that the barrier illustrated by the conditions given (illiteracy, poor health care, limited education) is best described as low human capital.