Post by account_disabled on Feb 22, 2024 0:12:29 GMT -7
The expression "third world" , still widely used in the media and in the common vocabulary of many people, is an anachronistic term to say the least . New call to action The different entities and NGOs that work to promote solidarity and development aid projects have long avoided using expressions as controversial as this one, or others such as "underdevelopment" that denote, as we will see, a vision of the world with strong negative connotations . Download our free guide here "Debunking myths: 7 smart answers" "definition-third-world" Where does the term 'third world' come from? Born during the Cold War The expression was coined in the 1950s , during the Cold War , to encompass under the same concept countries not aligned with either of the two large blocs: The one in the North American orbit (called the first world ) The Soviet one (the second world ) It is linked to the level of development After the fall of the Berlin Wall, and from the 90s until today, the term has evolved and has become a concept closely related to the level of development of certain countries, taking the economies of the countries as models of "development". of that "first world" that only represents between 15% and 20% of the world's population, leaving the adjectives "underdeveloped" or "developing" for the rest.
Those terms considered controversial The controversy is served: On the one hand, talking about the "third world" is currently outdated ; the old facing blocks no longer exist. On the other hand, taking as a development model an economic system that generates injustices and inequalities throughout the world does not seem to be an Albania Mobile Number List advisable option either. For this reason, the terms "third world" or "underdeveloped countries" are, to say the least, controversial. Download the free guide "Dismantling myths" Why we shouldn't use the expression "third world" There are, in addition to these reasons, other reasons to leave these expressions aside and encourage us to look for other types of qualifiers to designate realities, such as poverty , inequality or exclusion, that do not know homelands or borders: They have wealth and resources, although poorly distributed Many countries in the so-called third world have important sources of wealth and have sufficient resources to alleviate inequalities among their population.
The problem, then, is not poverty, but the unfair distribution of wealth, which favors a few people to the detriment of the majority. In the case of these countries we could speak of " impoverished countries " or " countries in a situation of inequality ." Poverty also in countries of the northern hemisphere There are organizations that use the more geographical term " countries of the southern hemisphere ", which, although not without controversy (there are countries in the northern hemisphere where there is more poverty than in some of the southern ones), does not carry as negative and outdated a connotation as makes it "third world." Development generates inequality Other organizations, such as the United Nations , use the terms " developing countries " or " developing countries ", which although as we have seen have their share of controversy, when talking about a development that in itself generates inequality, It does not imply the division into different worlds as "third world" does. "why-the-third-world-exists" Meheret Getachew works the land with her husband Abate Wabeto, she is 26 years old and lives in the community of Hintala River.