Challenge 6: The making and unmaking of the Third World
Development had achieved the status of a certainty in the social imaginary.
Two Eritrean cases (power relations)
-Mohamed Deid Shemshef Elementary and Junior School:
- The teacher and the pupils –into the class there is a teacher and there are child. With them there is a man who is observing the situation so, that man is influence by the teacher, he can´t do all that he wants because of that power relation.
- The man who is into the class has got a camera so, that means that he is more "rich" than the teacher and children, he is from a development country and this is another power relation.
- In that school some teachers have got a stick to have the power, the control of the situation and the children are afraid, they do all that the teacher want because if they don´t do that they have got punishments. And this is a power relation.
-Duta Elementary and Junior School
- There is a power relation between Indians and local teachers, because the Indian teachers are paid the same amount in Dollars as the local junior and secondary school teachers are paid in the local currency, Nackfa. So Indian teachers are paid ten times as much as the local teacher.
- Other power relation is that female students have to make sexual favours to Indian teachers to past the exams, so this is exploitation.
What is the third world, and why are some countries developing while others claim to be developed?
-Third world: refers to the economically underdeveloped countries particularly in the Middle East, South Asia, Latin America, Africa and Oceania, considered as an entity with common characteristics, such as poverty, high birthrates, and economic dependence on the advanced countries.
-Development: describes the growth of humans throughout the lifespan, from conception to death. The scientific study of human development seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, economical, perceptual, and personality development.
-Underdevelopment:Underdevelopment takes place when resources are not used to their full socio-economic potential, with the result that local or regional development is slower in most cases than it should be. Furthermore, it results from the complex interplay of internal and external factors that allow less developed countries only a lop-sided development progression. Underdeveloped nations are characterized by a wide disparity between their rich and poor populations, and an unhealthy balance of trade.
Causes of the Third world:
Geographical reasons
Have little relevance today, but at the time explained the disparities that existed between different parts of the world, said that the climate and relief were crucial, that the character of individuals and the degree of development of their countries depended on it, this theory came from observation that almost all developing countries were in the tropics or large areas isolated by mountains, forests or seas. This, generating forms of primitive life.
Have little relevance today, but at the time explained the disparities that existed between different parts of the world, said that the climate and relief were crucial, that the character of individuals and the degree of development of their countries depended on it, this theory came from observation that almost all developing countries were in the tropics or large areas isolated by mountains, forests or seas. This, generating forms of primitive life.
Internal historical causes
Explain, from the internal point of view, the historical causes that have led to current situation in this vein scholars believe that the causes of underdevelopment these countries lie in the past, plunging into the history of these peoples political systems are ineffective, backlog for centuries, social differences. Traditional deep, internal struggles and wars ... this would explain the low level of development of these peoples.
Explain, from the internal point of view, the historical causes that have led to current situation in this vein scholars believe that the causes of underdevelopment these countries lie in the past, plunging into the history of these peoples political systems are ineffective, backlog for centuries, social differences. Traditional deep, internal struggles and wars ... this would explain the low level of development of these peoples.
External historical causes
This is the explanation has more supporters today. There is a coincidence that these underdeveloped countries have been colonies at some point in the developed countries. Its economy has been driven from the north, from the metropolis, without account the interests of these peoples but the settlers themselves. In the case of Africa, the independence of these countries also inherited a huge problem: the artificial boundaries result of colonization, this is an ongoing source of conflict on two levels: against neighboring towns for a specific territory (Iran-Iraq war, Libya, Chad, Morocco, Frente Polisario Western Sahara...) or civil wars within a country (Kurds against Turkey and Iraq, Tamils against the government of Sri Lanca, Biafrans against the government of Nigeria...) and these wars these countries consume and destroy the few development opportunities.
This is the explanation has more supporters today. There is a coincidence that these underdeveloped countries have been colonies at some point in the developed countries. Its economy has been driven from the north, from the metropolis, without account the interests of these peoples but the settlers themselves. In the case of Africa, the independence of these countries also inherited a huge problem: the artificial boundaries result of colonization, this is an ongoing source of conflict on two levels: against neighboring towns for a specific territory (Iran-Iraq war, Libya, Chad, Morocco, Frente Polisario Western Sahara...) or civil wars within a country (Kurds against Turkey and Iraq, Tamils against the government of Sri Lanca, Biafrans against the government of Nigeria...) and these wars these countries consume and destroy the few development opportunities.
Economic causes
Economic dependence of the countries of the North:
Northern buys raw materials and their price fixed, changes in the price of these commodities in international markets can ruin a country dependent on these exports. The best and most profitable production facilities in these countries are in foreign hands, the multinational or transnational corporations claiming the richest plantations in these countries, the to oil… and the power of these multinationals is very powerful, in some cases have come to overthrow governments. These countries depend on developed countries to obtain the necessary technology for the development and manufactured goods from Europe, japan, United Sates, because they have no capacity to produce them, this creates a problem larger: the debt. The debt to developed countries is increasingly high because the needs of the population are higher because they are developing and they have to pay more for those products that come from these countries and this money blocks the development of these countries because the profits are going to pay the debt.
Social causes
In these villages there is social inequality, a very small percentage of the population is very rich and most are very poor, it creates social problems, conflicts, political instability… and sometimes ethnic clashes between different communities living within the artificial boundaries. On the other hand, unemployment and underemployment are chronic poverty is widespread, in this situation there are no savings and consumption and this creates a stagnant population.
Political causes
Political regimens of these countries are very unstable, there are many democracies, the dictatorship is the most common form of government coups and the only way to power, these coups ending on civil wars. Other features of these governments are the corruption of civil servants. The budgets of these countries have a high percentage of military expenditures, which are much higher than spending on education or health.
The problem of overpopulation
The behavior of the population in different countries is very different in developed countries is a very low fertility and low mortality, some countries are losing population and aging also occurs thereof, on the contrary in the underdeveloped countries of birth is very high, but mortality is very low due to medicine. The problems generated are very serious: the population is growing much faster than resources, it creates a deeper underdevelopment, hunger and migration and, sometimes, war. The concept of overpopulation is related to resources, if these countries had the same population but with far more resources would not be considered overcrowded.
Reflection
This class has been important to me because I could analyze the situation of the poorest countries and I understand better the situation. I believe that poverty could be lost if all we want, but people who have the power do not wnat because they would lose that power. These countries ("Third World") are rich in resources and can develop, but our countries ("Developed Countries") do not let them, we make their debt bigger and not let them grow.
I believe also, that we should not call them "Third World" countries, for me there is only one world, a world of all us and that name is derogatory because they want to grow and we do not let them. I think that if that does not change, the attitude of the developed countries can never eradicate poverty. And I think we do not have to call "Developed Countries", because if we were, we would not let this situation happen. We are underdeveloped because our attitude is greed.
Reflection
This class has been important to me because I could analyze the situation of the poorest countries and I understand better the situation. I believe that poverty could be lost if all we want, but people who have the power do not wnat because they would lose that power. These countries ("Third World") are rich in resources and can develop, but our countries ("Developed Countries") do not let them, we make their debt bigger and not let them grow.
I believe also, that we should not call them "Third World" countries, for me there is only one world, a world of all us and that name is derogatory because they want to grow and we do not let them. I think that if that does not change, the attitude of the developed countries can never eradicate poverty. And I think we do not have to call "Developed Countries", because if we were, we would not let this situation happen. We are underdeveloped because our attitude is greed.