Different Ways of Looking at the World

1. Different Ways of Looking at the World

2. Different Ways of Looking at the World • Difficult to keep track of - social, political, economic characteristics of each country in the world • ⁂ easier to group countries using common characteristics • examples include: • “First World” • “Developing Nation” • “North/South Split

3. Developed - Developing Countries • Economic development used to group countries – not the only characteristic that determines development • Popular because its simple • Criticism - imprecise - groups too large • Not static - allows for countries to move from undeveloped to developing

4. Developed and Developing

5. North - South • Most developed nations located north of equator • Most developing nations located south of the equator • Some countries do not fit pattern - New Zealand, Argentina and Australia • ⁂ terms Temperate and Tropical may be more accurate

6. North & South Split

7. First/Second/Third World • 3 world model developed in 1950’s • Based on development (economic) & on political alignment • Countries like Cuba, China & Vietnam did not fit • Had characteristics of 2nd World & some of 3rd world

8. First World - Third World

9. Five World • A compromise between accuracy and simplicity • 3rd-5th Worlds describe developing countries in different stages of development • 2nd World countries disappeared (with fall of communism) - some moved to 1st world and others to 3rd-5th worlds • No longer fits in a world increasingly influenced by the forces of globalization

10. Five Worlds

11. New Way of Grouping Countries • Core/Periphery Country Classification • Consider the degree to which each country is an active participant in a globalized world

12. Economic Development For Grouping Countries • A community’s material wealth and trade • Determined by such things as: per-captia GDP, ratio of cars to people, and per-capita electrical power capacity,

13. Social Characteristics For Grouping Countries • Level of education, healthcare, life expectancy, and rate of infant mortality in a society

14. Political Characteristics For Grouping Countries • Determined by whether country is democratic • Level of corruption • Presence of functional and established electoral system and rule of law • Freedom House rankings - measure political rights and civil liberties • Rating 2-5 - considered free • Rating 6-10 - considered partly free • Rating 11-14 - considered not free

15. Globalized Core (Core) • Countries that have contributed significantly to and benefited greatly from globalization • Countries in this group are relatively wealthy, comfortable lifestyles, advanced economies • Good healthcare, live in secure environment • High degree of freedom, gov’ts are generally free of corruption • Eg. Canada, US, Germany, Australia, UK

17. Less Globalized Periphery (Periphery) • Poorer than the “Core” countries • People have less personal security • Limited political freedom and civil liberties • Corruption is almost always a serious problem • Eg. Bangladesh, Zambia, Congo, Kenya

18. In Between Countries • Most countries are somewhere in between the core and periphery • Makes more sense to divide the in between nations into 2 groups - lots of variation between these countries

20. Countries in Between • Countries like Poland & Malaysia are generally members of the Core but are not at the same level as countries like Canada & Germany • Not as wealthy, gov’t not as democratic • As years pass becoming more like Canada and Germany • ⁂ need to divide “Core” into 2 groups • Old Core and New Core

21. Countries in Between • Periphery can be divided into 2 groups as well • Iran and Philippines are more advanced than countries like Bangladesh and Zambia • With continued economic, social & political growth - have potential to join Core in future • These countries can be called Near-Core Periphery (Periphery)

22. Countries in Between • Countries like Bangladesh & Zambia it will take longer for these countries to become fully functioning members of the global world • These countries are part of the Far Periphery

24. Grouping the World’s Nations

25. Grouping the World’s Nations