Group Report 1: The Global Divide

Question 1

The ____ is a socio-economic and political categorization of countries.

Answer 1

Global Divide

Question 2

The ____-era generalization places countries in two distinct groups: the North and the South.

Answer 2

Cold-War

Question 3

In the 1980s, how was the world geographically split?

Answer 3

The world was geographically split into relatively richer and poorer nations.

Question 4

According to Karpilo [2018], how was the world divided?

Answer 4

The Global North contains all countries north of the equator in the Northern Hemisphere and the Global South holds all of the countries south of the equator in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 5

The Global Divide is also called the ____ Divide.

Answer 5

North-South

Question 6

____ advocate for collective action to protect the environment.
____ argue for social and economic justice in practice.

Answer 6

The Global North; The Global South

Question 7

T or F. Based on the idea of the Global Divide, the world was divided in terms of development and wealth.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

____ is a divisionary line that simply separates the rich countries in the North from the poor countries in the South. It encircles the world at the latitude of 30°N. It crosses North and Central America, North Africa, and India, and then it goes down towards the South, placing Australia and New Zealand above the line.

Answer 8

The Brandt Line

Question 9

T or F. The Global North is comprised of all First World countries and most Second World countries. The Global South, on the other hand, is comprised of Third World countries.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

T or F. The concept of the Global Divide ignores the geographic position of countries.

Answer 10

True

Question 11

____ are developed countries or industrial democracies and include mainly capitalist free-market countries found in Western Europe and their old colonies.

Answer 11

First World Countries

Question 12

Enumerate some examples of First World countries.

Answer 12

1. United States
2. Canada
3. Australia
4. New Zealand
5. Japan

Question 13

____ are comprised of industrial but not democratic, centrally planned, socialist, or communist bloc countries.

Answer 13

Second World Countries

Question 14

Enumerate some examples of Second World countries.

Answer 14

1. China
2. Cambodia
3. Laos
4. North Korea
5. Vietnam

Question 15

____ are comprised countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America which did not fit into the two groups above. Such countries include the Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakista, and Zimbabwe.

Answer 15

Third World Countries

Question 16

According to _____, the world system is structured around a core-periphery hierarchy, with the core representing the most developed and powerful countries [Global North], and the periphery representing the least developed and most exploited countries [Global South]. The semi-periphery represents countries that are in an intermediate position between the core and the periphery.

Answer 16

Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory

Question 17

___ are highly industrialized countries that have high per capita incomes, low birth rates and death rates, low population growth rates, and high levels of industrialization and urbanization. These include the USA, Canada, Japan, and many countries in Europe.

Answer 17

More Developed Countries (MDCs) or More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs)

Question 18

____ 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. These include countries such as Africa, Asia [but Japan], Latin America and the Carribean, and Oceania [but Australia and NZ].

Answer 18

Less Developed Countries (LDCs) or Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs)

Question 19

The _____ describes countries with serious constraints on overall socio-economic development. Due to the lack of territorial access to the sea and therefore remoteness and isolation from world markets causing high transit and transportation costs. These include Afghanistan, Amenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Paraguay, Rwanda, and Turkmenistan.

Answer 19

Landlocked Developing Countries [LLDCs]

Question 20

Differentiate the Global North vs. the Global South.

Answer 20

The Global North generally refers to the world’s more developed, industrialized, and economically advanced countries, including North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan. These countries are often characterized by high levels of technology, infrastructure, and wealth, as well as advanced democratic systems and strong institutions. It is home to all G8 [France, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, US, Canada, and Russia] and P5 members. 95% of the population has enough food and shelter and its economy relies on industries and major businesses, commerce, and finance.

The Global South, on the other hand, generally refers to the world’s less developed, poorer, and more politically volatile countries, including much of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. These countries are often characterized by low levels of economic development, widespread poverty, high levels of inequality, and weak governance structures. 5% have enough food and shelter. It is considered a source of raw materials for the North. For its economy, it mostly relies on cotton production and agriculture.

Question 21

What are the major differences between the North and South?

Answer 21

1. Population
2. Wealth
3. Standard Living
4. Industrial Development
5. Agriculture

Question 22

The History of the Divide

Answer 22

During the colonial era, European countries established colonies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and extracted resources such as raw materials and labor from these regions to fuel their own economic growth.

After the end of colonialism in the mid-20th century, many newly independent countries in the Global South faced significant challenges in building their own economies and institutions. Many of these countries were left with little infrastructure or resources after years of colonial exploitation, and they struggled to compete in the global economy.

The divide between the Global North and South was further widened by the Cold War, as the two superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence in the developing world. Many countries in the Global South were forced to choose sides in this global conflict, and the resulting political instability and conflict further hindered their economic development.

Question 23

What is the difference between the term Global South from the term Third World?

Answer 23

The term Global South now incorporates not only regions previously known as the Third World, but also regions in the North that is plagued by exploitation, oppression, and neocolonial relations, such as indigenous and black communities (and immigrant communities) in Western societies. In turn, some regions formerly known as the Third World now occupy an ambiguous political and economic space due to rapid processes of modernization and integration in developed nations.

Question 24

How did a new conception of global relations emerge from the experiences of Latin American countries?

Answer 24

Many Latin American countries were subject to political and economic domination by European powers for centuries, which resulted in a cultural and political homogenization that erased local identities and traditions.

In response to this homogenization, Latin American intellectuals and activists began to promote a new vision of global relations that valued diversity and cultural pluralism. They argued that the world was made up of a wide variety of cultures and political systems, and that a truly just and equitable global order would need to respect this diversity and allow for the coexistence of multiple political and cultural perspectives.

Question 25

Why are the terms First, Second, and Third World Countries no longer in use today?

Answer 25

The terms “first world,” “second world,” and “third world” was originally used during the Cold War to categorize countries based on their political and economic systems. The “first world” referred to the capitalist, democratic countries aligned with the United States, the “second world” referred to the socialist, communist countries aligned with the Soviet Union, and the “third world” referred to the non-aligned or developing countries.

However, since the end of the Cold War, these terms have become outdated and are no longer used widely. The world has changed significantly since then, and the political and economic systems of many countries have evolved. The terms “first world” and “third world” have been criticized for being based on a Eurocentric worldview and for implying that some countries are more advanced or developed than others.