A World of Regions: Global Divides

Submitted by:

Soliman, Canisha

Kantuna, Mary Kay Gwyneth

Tapang, Michelle Aysha C.

Villamor, Juvenile

Submitted to:

Bobila, Shenna Joy

THE GLOBAL SOUTH

- The Global South is also used to refer to what may also be called:
- Third World
- Developing Countries
- Less Developed Countries
- Less Developed Regions
- The term Global South is not geographical. Rather, its usage denotes a mix of
political, geopolitical and economic commonalities between nations.
- The Global South may also include poor regions of wealthy countries.
- The term “Global South” is more than just a metaphor for underdeveloped
countries. Its meaning also extends to countries’ similar histories of colonialism,
neo-imperialism, and economic and social change. These show the
disempowered inequalities in living standard, life expectancy, and access to
resources in comparison to those countries considered outside the Global South.
- An example of a country included in the Global South is the Philippines, with its
long history of colonization at the hands of Japan, America, and Spain.

HOW THE THIRD WORLD BECAME THE GLOBAL SOUTH

- Third World is a term coined in 1952 by Alfred Sauvy by comparing it to the term
“Third Estate”.
- Third estate is a concept that emerged in the context of the French Revolution.
Where the first estate consists of the clergy and the monarchy, the second estate
the nobility, and the third estate consisting of the remaining French population:
the commoners. Hence, the Third World is being correlated to commoners, a
mass of normal, everyday people as opposed to those heavy with power.
- The term Global South was first used in 1969 by political activist Carl Oglesby,
who argued that the war in Vietnam was the culmination of a history of the
north’s dominance over the global south.
- Criticisms arose regarding the negative connotations associated with the term
“Third World,” which often portrayed developing nations as impoverished,
unstable, and underdeveloped. To address these concerns and provide a more
neutral and inclusive terminology, the term “Global South” emerged.

THE GLOBAL NORTH

- Often used in contrast to the Global South, the Global North is used to refer to
countries with relative wealth and power located in distinct parts of the world.
- The term “Global North” extends to more than just its geographic region or the
state of the countries’ development. It is also meant to refer to countries that
benefited from the exploits of colonialism, achieving a higher quality of life and
more power. (Braff and Nelson, 2022)

NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE

- Overall, the division between the North and the South is broadly considered
through their socio-economic and political differences.
- Countries included in the Global North include the United States, Canada,
Western Europe, Developed parts of Asia and Australia, and lastly, New
Zealand.
- On the other hand, countries considered within the Global South divide include
Africa, Latin America, and developing Asian countries, including the Middle East.
- Includes countries that were allied with the United States in its struggle against
the Soviet Union. On the other hand, the Third World includes previously
colonized nations (nonaligned) that both the United States and the Soviet Union
were trying to incorporate into their respective political-economic orders.

NORTH: SOUTH:

- United States - Africa

- Canada - Latin America
- Western Europe - Developing Asian countries,
- Developed parts of Asia and including middle east
Australia
- New Zealand
- Members of G8 (United States,
Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Russia and the
United Kingdom)
- Four out of five permanent
members of the UN Security
Council
 - The Brandt Line, introduced by former German Chancellor Willy Brandt in the
1980s, visually represents the global north-south economic divide using per-
capita GDP as a measure.
- GDP per capita is an economic measure that calculates the total value of all
goods and services produced by a country in a year, divided by its population. It
is often used to assess the average economic output per person and can indicate
the standard of living in a country.

- The relationship between the Global North and the Global South is often
characterized by a power imbalance, with the Global North maintaining control
and influence over the Global South, even after the latter's formal independence.
- Factors that contribute to the disparity between the Global North and Global
South include access to technology, economic wealth, political stability, and
environmental sustainability. Specifically, some of their differences can be
highlighted as followed:

NORTH: SOUTH:

- Industrialization and technology - The Global South, however, is still

adoption are significantly more working towards industrial
advanced in the Global North. development, with many regions
Northern countries lead in fields like depending on traditional agriculture
artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and low-tech manufacturing.
and sustainable energy, benefiting
from decades of industrial growth.
 - In economic terms, the north, with ¼ - In comparison, the south, with ¾ (6
or 25% (1.6 billion) of the world billion) of the world population, has 1/5 of
population, controls 4/5 or 80% of the the income earned anywhere.
income earned anywhere.
- 90% of the manufacturing industries
are owned and located in the north.

- The Global North typically enjoys more - The Global South, however, often
excellent political stability and more struggles with political instability,
vital governance structures than the corruption, and weak institutions,
Global South. Developed countries which create challenges for
have well-established democratic sustainable development. For
systems, transparent legal instance, political turmoil in some
frameworks, and effective public African and Latin American countries
institutions. These structures enable discourages investment and
stable economies and attract foreign complicates efforts to improve social
investments. welfare.

- The Global North and South exhibit - In contrast, the Global South often
contrasting environmental bears the brunt of environmental
sustainability and resource degradation, facing deforestation,
consumption patterns. Northern water scarcity, and land depletion.
countries consume a While the South has a lower
disproportionately high share of the ecological footprint, limited resources,
world’s resources, contributing to and industrial dependency make
environmental issues such as climate sustainability efforts more
change and deforestation. However, challenging.
these countries invest in sustainable
technologies and have stricter
ecological policies.

- Healthcare access and life expectancy - Conversely, the Global South faces
rates highlight stark contrasts between healthcare challenges, including
the two regions. Global North limited access to medical facilities,
countries generally have well- high disease prevalence, and shorter
established healthcare systems, high life expectancies. This lack of
life expectancy, and low infant healthcare infrastructure contributes
mortality rates. These countries invest to ongoing public health crises,
heavily in medical research, further limiting economic growth.
preventative care, and healthcare
accessibility.
- As nations become economically developed, they may become a part of the
Global North, regardless of their geographical location. At the same time, nations
 that do not qualify for “developed” status, will be deemed a part of the Global
South regardless of geographic location.

AMBIGUITIES IN CATEGORIZATION:

- The terms “First World”, “Second World”, and “Third World” were developed in
the mid-twentieth century during the cold war, categorized between countries’
participation between the United States and the Communist Soviet Union.
- The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension marked by competition and
confrontation between communist nations led by the Soviet Union and Western
democracies including the United States
- However, this notion raised concerns in regards to the categorization of included
countries:
- For one, the division of the first world is encompassed by industrialized,
democratic, and capitalist countries that were allied with the United States
in its struggle against the Soviet Union. Despite that however, countries
that were sworn to neutrality like Finland and Switzerland are nevertheless
included.
- On the other hand, the Third World includes countries that weren’t aligned
with the Soviet Union and are under the global realm of poverty. However,
China, a country that was- back then- non-industrialized and is unaligned
with the Soviet Union is commonly mapped as a Second World country
and not a Third World country despite meeting its qualifications.

PROGRESS OF GLOBAL SOUTH COUNTRIES:

- But leaders among these poor countries continue to grow awareness, many of
who are educated in first world countries, partly, in Europe and America.
- This inspired third world leaders to improve living conditions and win political
independence.
- Opposition to the domination by the first world also grew by means of growing
migration and travel.
- This is evident through the Latin American countries’ improvement being
continuously high, visible through developments in regionalism, security
management, and Latin America’s relation with outside countries.

COOPERATIONS:
1. Global South Economic Growth (2015)
- Bottom 60 nations experienced income growth, market diversification, and
increased participation.
- Globalization has shifted focus from the North-South divide, but some
argue nation-states still shape politics and trade.
- Economists suggest free trade and unrestricted capital flow could reduce
disparities and promote equitable growth.

2. Brazil’s Role in International Development

- Advocates for fairer trade, financial governance, and global governance
reforms since the late 18th century.
- Active in the UN System, Bretton Woods, and WTO.
- Engages in South-South cooperation, focusing on agriculture, food
security, education, training, and health.
- Provides $1 billion in annual aid, leveraging its experiences for knowledge
transfer.

3. United Nations & Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

- Aimed to reduce the North-South divide by 2015.
- Goals: eradicate poverty, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality,
improve maternal health, combat diseases, and ensure environmental
sustainability.

4. BRICS Forum
- BRICS is an association of five major emerging economies that includes
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The forum promotes
economic cooperation, political dialogue, and mutual support among its
member countries.

5. India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA) Forum

- It aims to promote cooperation in various areas, including agriculture,
trade, investment, science and technology, education, and social
development.

6. Group of 77 (G77)
 - The G77 is a coalition of developing countries at the United Nations. The
group promotes the interests and priorities of its member countries,
particularly those in the Global South.

7. International Day for South-South Cooperation:

- The United Nations observes the International Day for South-South
Cooperation on September 12th each year. It commemorates the adoption
of a plan of action by the United Nations General Assembly in 1978 to
promote technical cooperation among developing countries.

CITATIONS:

1. Braff, L., & Nelson, K. (2022). Chapter 15: The global north: Introducing the
region. Gendered Lives.
https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/genderedlives/chapter/chapter-15-the-
global-north-introducing-the-region/
2. History.com editors. “Cold War History.” History, A&E Television Networks, 27

Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history.

3. Manishsiq, & Manishsiq. (2024, November 6). The Global South – origins and

Significance.StudyIQ,https://www.studyiq.com/articles/the-global-south-origins-

and-significance/

4. Writers, N. (2024, October 28). 10 Major differences between the Global North

and Global South. Knowledge Netizen. https://netizenme.com/human-rights/10-

major-differences-between-the-global-north-and-global-south/

5. North–South divide in the world. (2022, December 1).

https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/37558