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A World of Regions - Learning Material

The document discusses global divides, specifically the North-South divide. It describes the global north as wealthy developed countries that control the majority of the world's income and manufacturing industries. The global south refers to poorer developing regions like Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania that have three-fourths of the world's population but only one-fifth of the income. Latin America in particular has faced exploitation of its natural resources and people by European colonial powers and continues to deal with the aftermath of this brutal treatment and dictatorships in some countries.

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Markrisha OLAIVAR
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129 views

A World of Regions - Learning Material

The document discusses global divides, specifically the North-South divide. It describes the global north as wealthy developed countries that control the majority of the world's income and manufacturing industries. The global south refers to poorer developing regions like Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania that have three-fourths of the world's population but only one-fifth of the income. Latin America in particular has faced exploitation of its natural resources and people by European colonial powers and continues to deal with the aftermath of this brutal treatment and dictatorships in some countries.

Uploaded by

Markrisha OLAIVAR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A WORLD OF REGIONS

GLOBAL DIVIDES: THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH


While globalization is a phenomenon, regionalism is also seen as political and economic phenomenon. The
world consists of different regions which refers to group of countries situated in the same geographic location
or amalgamate one another to oversee flows and policy choices. Countries in these regions respond
economically and politically to globalization thereby forming regional associations for common purposes like
military defense and economic security.

Regionalism is a political process characterized by Key Terms economic policy cooperation and
coordination among North-South Divide countries (Claudio, 2018). Whereas regionalization is the
Regionalism concentration of economic flow within region thereby binding Regionalization together the
region's economy. Since regionalism is a process, Global North regions are not given or naturally created.
They are product Global South of political and economic actors, and even social movements. Third World
Regions group and divide due to common traits and vested First World interests. The world is divided
according to socio-economic Second World and political aspects.

North-South Divide
The North-South Divide or Rich-Poor Divide is the socio-economic and political division between the
wealthy developed countries known as "the North," and the poorer developing countries or "the South."
Although most of the countries under "the North" are located in the Northern Hemisphere, the divide is
purely not based on geographic location. Some countries located in the same hemisphere may not be qualified
for "developed" status. In effect may deemed part of "the South”.
This divide is recently known as the development gap which puts greater emphasis on the gap
between the economically rich and poor countries. The Global North mostly encompasses the West and the
First World, along with many of the Second World. It is the home of all the G8 (Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States and European Union). Global North also includes the outermost
regions of the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and developed members of Asia (the Four Asian
Tigers — Hongkong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea). The North, with one quarter of the world
population, controls four-fifths of the income earned anywhere in the world. It owned 90% of the
manufacturing industries which are also located in the countries belonging to the North.
The Global South refers to regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It includes the countries
belonging to the Third World and Periphery. These are regions outside Europe and North America. With
three-fourth of the world populations, only has access to one-fifth of the world income. Hence, countries that
have low-income and often politically or culturally marginalized. "The use of the phrase Global South marks
a shift from a central focus on development or CUItural difference toward an emphasis on geopolitical
relations of power," (Dados, 2012). The Brandt Line proposed by Willy Brandt in 1980s attempted to show
growing income inequality between countries. Above the line are the rich countries, Whereas below the line
are the poor countries. However, this theory is no longer considered as valid since in today's context some of
the world's strongest economies lie below the Brandt line.
Global South vs The Third World
The emergence of the term Global South is in part to aid countries in the Southern Hemisphere to work in
collaboration on political, economic, social, environmental, cultural, and technical issues. This is called a
South-South Cooperation (SSC), "a political and economic term referring to the long term goal of pursuing
world economic changes that mutually benefit countries in the Global South and lead to greater solidarity
among the disadvantaged in the world system" (Gray, 2016).
Global South was first used in 1969 in a contemporary political sense and continued to gain appeal
throughout the second half of the 20th century. It was a French demographer, anthropologist and economic
historian Alfred Sauvy (1898-1990) who coined the term "the Third World" in 1952, comparing it with Third
Estate, a concept that emerged during the French Revolution which refers to the French population. The term
was accepted because it clearly differentiated the poor countries from the First World where countries are
wealthy, and to Second World (Communist states) though not so wealthy but characterized by greater order,
higher incomes, and longer expectancies (Butler, 2007).
There growth and develop of the developing countries in the 1970's was slowing. Developed countries
were becoming dependent on the Third World for energy due to the decline of US oil reserves. These likely
increased the economic power of the Third World. It was at this time that the term North and South were
firstly widely used in lieu of the long standing geographical and cultural partition of the East and West. The
Global South was merged to the Third World in order to avoid the stigma brought about by the form "Third
World" as being very poor and thus created a new world order (Butler 2007).
To explain further, Third World countries are experiencing deep poverty, inequality, and
underdevelopment. They are the countries at the periphery that produce mainly agrarian and mineral raw
materials for industrialized states. In deeper sense, the developing countries originally belong to the Global
South still has a chance to become a developed country.

Global Relations in Latin America


Latin America, like Africa, has small populations but endowed with rich natural resources. Because of this,
this region is target for grand-scale pillage for capital accumulation by Europe and the United States.
Countries in Latin America were under the control of either Spain or Portugal during the Colonial Era. During
the 19th century, the world capitalist system exploited the peonized peasants. The tillers, laborers, and
uneducated were subject to brutality by big agrarian landowners. The natural resources like mines were
exploited by the developed countries.
The emigration of peasants from the countryside in the 20th century resulted to "modernization poverty"
replacing rural poverty in Latin America. A settlement of jerry-built shacks or favelas emerged in the cities. A
lot of people were now living in the urban areas alongside with the change of politics imposing fascist
dictatorship. Certain rights were abolished like right to vote. Specialized police services were established
giving extra-legal authority to arrest and torture people who go against the government. The brutal super—
exploitation in Latin America are worse compared to other regions in the world. Until now, some countries in
the region are still suffering and recovering from the brutal treatment as the result of dictatorships. The
situation of the Philippines during and after the colonial era was much better compared to the experiences of
Latin America.
Even before the current globalization trends appear in Latin America, they were actually experiencing
the wide-raging globalization which resulted to exploitation and abuse. Danilo Ant6n (1998) in his article,
"Different waves of globalization in Latin America". The first wave of globalization was the military wave that
happened around 15th to 16th centuries. Extracontinental military invasion of the Americas was immediately
felt. There were political and cultural annihilation of the indigenous people. The first wave was extremely
brutal.
The second wave of globalization was the economic wave. The Spanish and Portuguese colonies were well
established this time in the 90th century. Latin America was the basic source of raw materials by the European
countries. During this time, the globalization development was mainly related to the requirements of the
European industrial revolution. Natural resources in this period were exploited and workers were abused.
However, infectious diseases were reduced, communication, and transportation were developed.
Cultural wave was the third globalization wave due to the nature of technological changes,
globalization affects the cultural sphere of Latin America. Computers and telecommunications were now
made available and air travel has become widespread. The flow of merchandise and trade is easier and
accomplishing lots of things. Women has become increasingly important in the workplace. A lot of changes
were happening. Communication was becoming better. People within the region can now communicate with
each other and to other regions of the world. But new disease was introduced like AIDS or HIV.
Though the impact of the third wave was already felt during the 20th century, the impact of the second
wave was still felt and very much alive. Both waves in the last decade was simultaneously experienced
affecting many countries around the world. The better effects brought by the third wave were often
outweighed by its negative impacts. A lot of raw materials were produced and exported outside the region
resulting to higher income to the detriment of the environment. Native trees or crops were replaced by other
plants highly demanded by the importing countries resulting to soil erosion. Increased consumption of sea
products promoted expansion of aquaculture resulting to reduction the water quality.
Despite of these effects, the national cultures of Latin America still exist. These are important assets to
regional societies. However, many individuals and communities have no political control over their common
destinies. The weakening of the state capacity and the increase in access of information might be a source of
opportunity for the individuals and communities. The tools offered by this new globalization, according to
Ant6n (1998), might paved the way for planetary survival and social renewal.

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