7 - THE WORLD OF REGIONS.pdf

THE WORLD OF REGIONS: THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH SOCSCI032 – THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD INTRODUCTION GLOBALIZATION AND REGIONALIZATION GLOBALIZATION AND REGIONALIZATION The processes of globalization and regionalization reemerged during the 1980s and heightened after the end of the Cold War i...

THE WORLD OF REGIONS: THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH SOCSCI032 – THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD INTRODUCTION GLOBALIZATION AND REGIONALIZATION GLOBALIZATION AND REGIONALIZATION The processes of globalization and regionalization reemerged during the 1980s and heightened after the end of the Cold War in the 1990s. At first, it seems that these two processes are contradicting – the nature of globalization is, by definition, global while regionalization is naturally regional. HISTORY OF REGIONALIZATION It started during the Cold War, when Western FIRST WORLD policymakers began talking about the SECOND WORLD world as three THIRD WORLD distinct political and economic blocks. FIRST WORLD Refers to the capitalist, industrialized countries, within the Western European and United States’ sphere of influence. SECOND WORLD Refers to the former communist-socialist, industrial states, the territory and sphere of influence of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. THIRD WORLD Are all the other countries, today often used to roughly describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.  FIRST SECOND THIRD WORLD WORLD WORLD When the Cold War ended, the category of Second World Countries become null and void.  FIRST But somehow, THIRD WORLD the terms, “First WORLD World” and “Third World” They were stuck around in Came to be associated more the public associated with with rich, and consciousness. impoverished industrialized countries. states.  Nowadays, the Social Scientists sort countries into groups based on their specific levels of economic productivity.  FIRST THIRD WORLD WORLD “GLOBAL “GLOBAL NORTH” SOUTH” THE GLOBAL DIVIDES THE NORTH AND SOUTH THE BRANDT LINE In the 1980s, the Brandt Line was developed as a way of showing how the world was geographically split into relatively richer and poorer nations. According to this model: Richer countries are almost all located in the Northern Hemisphere, with the exception of Australia and New Zealand. poorer countries are mostly located in tropical regions and in the Southern Hemisphere. GLOBAL NORTH GLOBAL SOUTH THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH As nations become economically developed, they become part of the “North”, regardless of geographical locations. Similarly, any nations that do not qualify for “developed” status are in effect deemed to be part of the “South”.  THE NORTH The North, with one quarter of the world population , controls four- fifths of the income earned anywhere in the world. 90% of the manufacturing industries are owned by and located in the North.  THE SOUTH The south, with three quarters of the world populations, has access to one-fifth of the world income.  THE SOUTH Refer to what used to be called the “Third World”. Countries that belong to developing and less develop countries. The term Global South, “emerged in part to aid countries in the southern hemisphere to work in collaboration on political, economic, social, environmental, cultural, and technical issues.”  THE SOUTH In general, it 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.” IN COMPARISON… THE NORTH THE SOUTH Less population Large population High wealth Low Wealth High standards of living Low standards of living High industrial Low industrial development development Industrial society Agricultural Society IN COMPARISON… THE NORTH THE SOUTH More developed regions Poverty Richer War 95% has enough food, shelter Tyranny and functioning education Lack well-developed domestic system market economies Controls four-fifths of the Lacks to evolve income earned anywhere in the world Lacks appropriate technology No political stability STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT CLASSIFICATION OF COUNTRIES (ACCORDING TO UNITED NATIONS) NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES (NICs) MOST ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (MEDCs) MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES (MICs) LEAST ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LEDCs)  LEAST STAGES ECONOMICALLY OF DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LEDCs) Many categories and explanation have been provided over the years of how countries move from one level of development to another. LEDCs or LDCs are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development. They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets. There are currently 47 countries on the list of LDCs which is reviewed every three years by the Committee for Development. The LEDCs’ Gross National Income is between $1,230 and $2,460. LEAST ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LEDCs)  MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES (MICS) These countries are not really poor, but are not rich either. They are developing quickly, but not as quickly as NICs are. Examples of this countries are Albania, Bulgaria, and Poland  MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES (MICS)  NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES (NICs) NICs are those countries whose national economy has transitioned from being primarily based in agriculture to being primarily based in goods-producing industries, such as manufacturing, construction, and mining. In most NICs, greater industrialization has led to increase trade, greater economic growth, participation in regional trading blocs, and attraction of foreign investment, especially from developed countries.  MOST ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (MEDCs) They are largely located in the Northern Hemisphere. They have the financial resources to provide a high level of education, healthcare and housing. MOST ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (MEDCs)  FACTORS AFFECTING THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMIC POLITICAL SOCIAL FACTORS FACTORS FACTORS FACTORS Poor climate Poor trade links Spread of Unstable Limited water Lots of debt illnesses and government supply Too many diseases Corruption Few natural primary Poor education resources products NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE ISSUES THREE ISSUES… 1. Distribution of Income around the World. 2. Economic Competition World Wide. 3. Standard of Living. 1. Distribution of Income around the World. Liberalization of market occurs, most South countries lost to the competition from the North. Encourage migration of people from South to North for having a more good income. 2. Economic Competition World Wide. Factors: Appropriate infrastructure Stable macroeconomic framework Well functioning public and private institutions 3. Standard of Living. Factors: Lack of trade and aid Single crop farming Abundance of debt Neo- Colonialism CLOSING THE GAP The United Nations has developed a program dedicated to narrowing the divide through its Millennium Development Goals. This includes: improving education and health care promoting gender equality ensuring environmental sustainability. END OF TOPIC