Intro To The Third World

Introduction to the “Third World”

First World Second World Third World

What is the “third world?” “Third World” outdated Cold War nomenclature.   New labels are needed:  

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LDCs NICs Developing Underdeveloped Less Developed The South

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Human Development Index  

Categorizing states based solely on GNP doesn’t take into account the non-economic quality of life issues •  •  •  • 

Literacy Rate Life Expectancy School Enrollment PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) in US dollars

HDI Activity

Poverty & Debt  

Poverty & the Debt Crisis • 

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“Debt is tearing down schools, clinics and hospitals and the effects are no less devastating than war” – Dr. Adabayo Adedenji Africa spends four times as much on debt repayment as she does on healthcare (25 of the 32 poorest countries are in sub-Saharan Africa) Between $7.5 and $15 billion is needed to fight HIV/ AIDS in Africa each year. Yet, Africa pays out $13.5 billion in debt service every year By the end of the 90s, the south owed northern banks, governments, and international financial institutions more than $2.8 trillion (more than $400 per person)

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Issue #2 – Globalisation Then: Colonial Imperialism Now: MNCs • 

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Upscale clothier?

Dependency & Banana Republics

“It may be something of an exaggeration to say that decisions made in Washington, D.C. are more important to Tanzanians than those made in Dar es-Salaam, their capital city. If so, this is not much of an overstatement.” –Hauss

Or a generally unstable or "backward" dictatorial regime, especially one where elections are often fraudulent and corruption is rife. The foreign influence may be political or economic, but the point is that a banana republic is controlled or heavily influenced by foreign corporations, either directly or through their government. United Fruit in Honduras is a classic example.

Issue #2 - Globalisation Foreign Aid by Industrialized Nations   Foreign Aid by World Bank & IMF   From Import Substitution to Structural Adjustment  

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Conditionality

The IMF would like you to move from Point A to Point B Importing steel sends $ outside your country. Substitute imported steel for domestically produced steel. Government very involved in economy.

Structural Adjustment

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Import Substitution

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Integrate into the global economy and find your niche. Adopt free market policies: privatize, deregulate, lower trade barriers.

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Issue #3 – Weak States Weak states – government cannot maintain law & order or provide basic services   Patron-Client Networks   Corruption - Kleptocrats   Transition from one-party state (PRI) in Mexico   Significance of military to LDCs  

Issue #4 - Ethnicity  

Ethnicity • 

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Ethnic conflict large result of arbitrary borders Fragmentation results from strong primary loyalty to cultural, ethnic, religious, or linguistic groups.

Issue #5 - Environment  

Population • 

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World’s Largest Nations (today & in 2050) Births & deaths per second (4.17 & 1.8) Rule of 72

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