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Associated Theories: Third World

The document discusses terms used to describe less economically developed nations. It notes that terms like "developing world" are becoming less relevant as living standards have improved globally. Alternative terms discussed include less developed countries, underdeveloped nations, and Global South. The document also provides context on political and economic characteristics common among these nations, such as recent democratic governments, reliance on foreign investment, and challenges of poverty and economic vulnerability.

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32 views

Associated Theories: Third World

The document discusses terms used to describe less economically developed nations. It notes that terms like "developing world" are becoming less relevant as living standards have improved globally. Alternative terms discussed include less developed countries, underdeveloped nations, and Global South. The document also provides context on political and economic characteristics common among these nations, such as recent democratic governments, reliance on foreign investment, and challenges of poverty and economic vulnerability.

Uploaded by

sirre
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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To moderate the euphemistic aspect of the word "developing", international organizations have

started to use the term less economically developed country for the poorest nations—which can,
in no sense, be regarded as developing. This highlights that the standard of living across the
entire developing world varies greatly. Other terms sometimes used are less developed
countries, underdeveloped nations, low and middle income countries (LMICs) and non-
industrialized nations. Conversely, developed countries, most economically developed
countries, industrialized nations are the opposite end of the spectrum.
At the development level, anthropologist and researcher Jason Hickel has challenged the
narrative that the rich countries of the OECD help the poor countries develop their economies
and eradicate poverty. Hickel states that the rich countries "aren’t developing poor countries;
poor countries are developing rich ones."[31]
In 2015, the World Bank declared that the "developing / developed world categorization" is
becoming less relevant, due to worldwide improvements in indices such as child mortality rates,
fertility rates and extreme poverty rates.[3] Accordingly, World Bank is phasing out use of that
descriptor. Instead, the reports by Worldbank (such as the World Development Indicators (WDI)
and the Global Monitoring Report) now include data aggregations for the whole world, for
regions, and for income groups – but not for the “developing world”.[3][5]
Third World[edit]
Main article: Third World
Over the past few decades since the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the
term Third World has been used interchangeably with developing countries, but the concept has
become outdated in recent years as it no longer represents the current political or economic
state of the world. The three-world model arose during the Cold War to define countries aligned
with NATO (the First World), the Communist Bloc (the Second World, although this term was
less used), or neither (the Third World). Strictly speaking, "Third World" was a political, rather
than an economic, grouping.[27]
Global South[edit]
Main article: Global South
The term "Global South" began to be used more widely since about 2004.[32][33] It can also include
poorer "southern" regions of wealthy "northern" countries.[34] The Global South refers to these
countries' "interconnected histories of colonialism, neo-imperialism, and differential economic
and social change through which large inequalities in living standards, life expectancy, and
access to resources are maintained".[35]

Associated theories[edit]
The term "developing countries" has many research theories associated with it (in chronological
order):

 Modernization theory - to explain the process of modernization within societies


 Dependency theory – the notion that resources flow from a "periphery" of poor and
underdeveloped states to a "core" of wealthy states, enriching the latter at the expense of
the former
 Development theory – a collection of theories about how desirable change in society is
best achieved.
 Post-Development theory – holds that the whole concept and practice of development is
a reflection of Western-Northern hegemony over the rest of the world
Common characteristics[edit]
Government, politics and administration[edit]
Many developing countries have only attained full self-determination and democracy after the
second half of the 20th century. Many were governed by an imperial European power
until decolonization. Political systems in developing countries are diverse, but most states had
established some form of democratic governments by the early 21st century, with varying
degrees of success and political liberty.[36] The inhabitants of developing countries were
introduced to democratic systems later and more abruptly than their Northern counterparts and
were sometimes targeted by governmental and non-governmental efforts to encourage
participation. 'Effective citizenship' is defined by sociologist Patrick Heller as: "closing [the] gap
between formal legal rights in the civil and political arena, and the actual capability to
meaningfully practice those rights".[37]
Beyond citizenship, the study of the politics of cross-border mobility in developing countries has
also shed valuable light in migration debates, seen as a corrective to the traditional focus on
developed countries.[38] Some political scientists identify a 'typology of nationalizing,
developmental[disambiguation needed], and neoliberal migration management regimes' across developing
countries.[39]

Economy[edit]

Worlds regions by total wealth (in trillions USD), 2018

Following independence and decolonization in the 20th century, most developing countries had


dire need of new infrastructure, industry and economic stimulation. Many relied on foreign
investment. This funding focused on improving infrastructure and industry, but led to a system of
systemic exploitation.[citation needed] They exported raw materials, such as rubber, for a bargain.
Companies based in the Western world have often used the cheaper labor in developing
countries for production.[40] The West benefited significantly from this system, but left developing
countries undeveloped.
This arrangement is sometimes called neocolonialism, meaning a system in which less-
developed countries are taken advantage of by developed countries. It does not necessarily
mean that former colonies are still controlled by their former colonizer; it refers to colonial-like
exploitation. Developing countries are often helping further develop rich countries, rather than
being developed themselves.[41] Several institutions have been established with the goal of
putting an end to this system.[42] One of these institutions is the New International Economic
Order. They have a 'no-strings-attached' policy that promotes developing countries remaining or
becoming self-sufficient. More specifically, they advocate sovereignty over natural resources
and industrialization.
Coalitions of developing nations, like the NIEO, frequently lobby for parity in the world stage.
The rise of China might imply the rise of the BRIC countries.[40]

Common challenges[edit]
Development economics

Economies by region

 Africa
 North America
 South America
 Asia
 Europe
 Oceania

Economic growth theories


 Harrod–Domar model
 Neoclassical growth model
 Endogenous growth theory
 Unified growth theory
 Balanced growth theory

Fields and subfields


 Economic inequality
 Poverty
 Undernutrition
 Land
 Labour
 Human Capital
 Education
 Property Rights
 Microfinance
 Decentralization
 Environmental determinism
Lists
 Journals
 Publications
 Categories
 Topics
 Economists

 v
 t
 e

The global issues most often discussed by developing countries include globalisation, global
health governance, health, and prevention needs. This is contrasted by issues developed
nations tend to address, such as innovations in science and technology.[43]
Most developing countries have these criteria in common:[44][45]

 High levels of poverty – measured based on GNI per capita averaged over three years.
For example, if the GNI per capita is less than US $1,025 (as of 2018) the country is
regarded as a least developed country.[45]
 Human resource weakness (based on indicators of nutrition, health, education and
adult literacy).
 Economic vulnerability (based on instability of agricultural production, instability of
exports of goods and services, economic importance of non-traditional activities,
merchandise export concentration, handicap of economic smallness, and the percentage of
population displaced by natural disasters).
Urban slums[edit]
Main article: Slum

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