THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD [GE5]

LESSON 6 I Global Divides

Objectives:

 Define the term “global south”.

 Differentiate the Global south from the Third World.
 Analyze how a new conception of global relations emerged from the experiences of Latin
American Countries.

Global Divides: The North and the South

- The North-South divide is a socio-economic and political division of Earth popularized in
the late 20th century and early 21st century. Generally, definitions of the Global North are not exclusively
a geographical term, and it includes Australia, Canada, Europe, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore,
South Korea, Taiwan and the United States. The Global South is made up of Africa, Latin America and
the Caribbean, Pacific Islands, and the developing countries in Asia, including the Middle East. It is home
to: Brazil, India and China, which, along with Indonesia and Mexico, are the largest Southern states in
terms of land area and population.

HISTORY
The idea of categorizing countries began during the Cold War with the classification of East and
West. The Soviet Union and China represented the East, and the United States and their allies represented
the West.

THE ORIGINS OF THE THIRD WORLD CONCEPT

The term the Third World was coined in 1952 by the French demographer, anthropologist, and
economic historian Alfred Sauvy, who compared it with the Third Estate, a concept that emerged in the
context of the French Revolution. (First Estate refers to the clergy and the monarch, Second Estate to the
nobility, and Third Estate to the balance of the eighteenth-century French population—as much as 98
percent.)
The Third World, as a phrase, also achieved acceptance because it usefully contrasted the poor
countries to the First World (the non-Communist, high-income, “developed” countries) and the Second
World (Communist countries, which though not as wealthy as those of the First World, were then
characterized by greater order, higher incomes, and longer life expectancies.)
As terms, the North (also called the First World ) and the South emerged during the 1970s in
recognition of the greater economic and political power of the Third World, and in reaction to growing
dissatisfaction with earlier terms, which were increasingly seen as pejorative. Although the South has
long been home for the majority of the global population, its fraction of the global population is rising, as
fertility rates have declined by a greater amount in the North. Reflecting this, the South is now sometimes
called the majority world.
Early definitions of the Third World emphasized its exclusion from the East-West conflict of the
Cold War as well as the ex-colonial status and poverty of the nations it comprised. Efforts to mobilize the
Third World as an autonomous political entity were undertaken. The 1955 Bandung Conference was an
early meeting of Third World states in which an alternative to alignment with either the Eastern or
Western Blocs was promoted. Following this, the first Non-Aligned Summit was organized in 1961.
Contemporaneously, a mode of economic criticism which separated the world economy into
"core" and "periphery" was developed and given expression in a project for political reform which
"moved the terms 'North' and 'South' into the international political lexicon."

Brandt Line
is the depiction of the north-south divide, proposed
by West German former Chancellor Willy Brandt in the
1980’s. It encircles the world at a latitude of approximately
30-degree North, passing between North and Central
America, north of Africa and the Middle East, climbing north
over China and Mongolia, but dipping south so as to include
Australia and New Zealand in the “Rich North”. It was
developed as a way of showing the 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. However,
over time it was realized that this view was too
simplistic. Countries such as Argentina, Malaysia and Botswana all have above global average GDP
(PPP) per capita, yet still appear in the ‘Global South’. Conversely, countries such as Ukraine appear to
be now amongst a poorer set of countries by the same measure.

Global North refers to developed societies of Europe and North America, which are characterized by
established democracy, wealth, technological advancement, political stability, aging population, zero
population growth and dominance of world trade and politics.
Countries: Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, US, Belgium, Iceland, Japan, Sweden and
Netherlands.
Global South refers to what may be called the “Third World Countries” or the less developed countries
and less developed regions.
Countries: Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania.

The North (First World Countries) is comprised of countries which have developed economies
and account for over 90% of all manufacturing industries in the world. Although these countries account
for only one-quarter of the total global population, they control 80% of the total income earned around the
world. All the members of the G8 come from the North as well as four permanent members of the UN
Security Council.
About 95% of the population in countries in The North have enough basic needs and have access
to functioning education systems.
Countries comprising the North include The United States, Canada, all countries in Western
Europe, Australia, New Zealand as well as the developed countries in Asia such as Japan and South
Korea

The South (Third World Countries) is comprised of countries with developing economies
which were initially referred to as Third World countries during the Cold War.
An important characteristic of countries in the South is the relatively low GDP and the high
population.
The Third World accounts for only a fifth of the globally earned income but accounts for over
three-quarters of the global population.
Another common characteristic of the countries in the South is the lack of basic amenities. As
little as 5% of the population is able to access basic needs such as food and shelter. The economies of
most countries in the South rely on imports from the North and have low technological penetration.
The countries making up the South are mainly drawn from Africa, South America, and Asia with
all African and South American countries being from the South. The only Asian countries not from the
South are Japan and South Korea. Areas incorporated under the label GLOBAL SOUTH can also be
found in the geographical north. Latinoization is an example of the global south found in the geographical
north.

Major Differences Between the North and the South:

Global North Global South

Less population Large Population
High wealth Low wealth
High standard of living Low standard of living
High industrial development Low industrial development
Industry Agriculture
 NORTH
Holds ¼ of the world population
Controls 4/5 of the income earned anywhere in
the world
They believe that national government has the
absolute power and more authority over the
country’s issues.
Developed
SOUTH
Holds ¾ of the world population
Has the access to 1/5 of the world income
The south supported sates rights (the idea that the
individual states should have more power than the
federal power)
Developing

Population:
According to the UN, by 2100 the population of the global North will have grown by only 0.3 billion to
1.28 billion (11.8% of the global population), while that of the global South will have grown by 3.7
billion to 9.6 billion (88.2% of the global population).

Wealth
North controls 80% of the total income earned around the world.
South accounts for only a fifth of the globally earned income

Standard of living
North: Have enough basic needs and have access to functioning education systems.
South: Lack of basic amenities. As little as 5% of the population is able to access basic needs such as food
and shelter.

Industrial Development
North: developed economies and account for over 90% of all manufacturing industries in the world
South: economies rely on imports from the North and have low technological penetration.

 The two groups are often defined in terms of their differing levels of wealth, economic
development, income inequality, democracy, and political and economic freedom, as defined by
freedom indices.
  Nations in the North tend to be wealthier, less unequal and considered more democratic and to be
developed countries who export technologically advanced manufactured products;
 Southern states are generally poorer developing countries with younger, more fragile democracies
heavily dependent on primary sector exports and frequently share a history of past colonialism by
Northern states

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATIONS
Two generations ago, the North could have been approximately defined as Europe and its
offshoots (such as Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand), but Japan has also, clearly,
been a developed country for many years. Several other East Asian countries, including Singapore, South
Korea, and Taiwan have shifted into the North in recent decades. While there are no recent examples of
countries that have moved in the opposite direction (i.e., to the South from the North), the economic
position of Argentina shifted from being one of the richest countries in the world, a century ago, to its
middle-ranked position today.
Precise categorization is difficult for several contemporary nations, such as Russia and Saudi
Arabia. Russia was recently admitted to the G-8 (previously the G-7), whose other members (the United
States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., and Japan) are the richest and most economically
powerful nations on earth. In contrast, Russia has a comparatively low life expectancy, which has fallen
in recent decades. It also has limited political freedom and transparency in comparison to most countries
in the G-8, and the North more generally.

INEQUALITIES

 There are many causes for these inequalities

 The availability of natural resources
 Different levels of health and education
 The nature of a country’s economy and industrial sectors
 International trading policies and access to markets
 Country’s vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change

DEVELOPMENT GAP
The north-south divide has more recently been named the development gap. It places greater
emphasis on closing the evident gap between rich (more economically developed countries) and poor
( less economically developed countries)
 A good measure of on which side of the gap a country is located in the Human Development
index.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX (HDI)

It is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education, and per capital income indicators,
which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.

 Very Dark Blue: 0.800 – 1.00 (very high)

 Dark Blue: 0.700 – 0.799 (high)
 Blue: 0.555 – 0.699 (medium)
 Light Blue: 0.350 – 0.554 (Low)
 Gray: Data unavailable

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GLOBAL SOUTH AND THIRD WORLD

THIRD WORLD
Is an outdated and derogatory phrase that has been historically refers to countries that were
aligned neither with communist eastern bloc of countries, nor with the capitalist west, during the cold
war. This includes countries as diverse as Botswana, India and Sweden. In current culture, however that
term is normally used as a euphemism for “Developing Countries”.

THIRD WORLD GLOBAL SOUTH

Historical term for developing countries Used in the context of the economic and
developmental disparity

FACTORS AFFECTING THE GLOBAL DIVIDES

The major access of divide in global society are:
Economic Factors
● Capitalism
  Capitalism is an economic system where businesses and industries are owned and controlled by
the people and not the government.
● Exportation/Importation of resources

 Exporting is known as the selling of goods and services in foreign countries that are sourced or
made in the home country. Importing is the process of purchasing goods and services from other
countries and bringing them back to one's own country.

Cultural Factors
● Media

 Media is the communication outlets or tools used to store and deliver information or data.
● Food

 Food is also another important unifying cultural factor. Food is important to our identity and our
cultural practices. Food allows us to get to know about other cultures and experience their
traditions.
● Sports

 Sports are group games and individual activities involving physical activity and skills for
entertainment.
Technological Factors
Technological globalization is speeded in large part by technological diffusion, the spread of
technology across borders.
THE GLOBAL DIGITAL DIVIDE I DIGITAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DIVIDE

GLOBAL DIGITAL DIVIDE

Refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and
communications technology and those who lack access.

TYPES OF DIGITAL DIVIDE

1. GENDER DIVIDE
According to a 2013 report, the internet gender gap is striking especially in developing
countries. Though mobile connectivity is spreading drastically, it is not spreading equally.
Women are still lagging. Men in low-income countries are 90% more likely to own a mobile
phone than women. This translates to 184 million women who lack access to mobile connectivity.
Even among women owning mobile phones, 1.2 billion women in low and mid-income countries
have no access to the internet.
 2. SOCIAL DIVIDE

Internet access creates relationships and social circles among people with shared
interests. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook create online peer groups based on
similar interests. More than ever internet usage has influenced social stratification which is
evident in societies among those that are connected to the internet and those that are not. Non-
connected groups are sidelined since they don’t share in the internet benefits of the connected
groups.

3. UNIVERSAL ACCESS DIVIDE

Individuals living with physical disabilities are often disadvantaged when it comes to
accessing the internet. They may have the necessary skills but cannot exploit the available
hardware and software. Some parts of the world will remain segregated from the internet and its
vast potential due to lack of digital literacy skills, low education levels, and inadequate broadband
infrastructure.

FACTORS BEHIND DIGITAL DIVIDE

 COST OF TECHNOLOGY
 ACCESS FOR DISABLED
 LACK OF SKILLS
 LACK OF EDUCATION
 LACK OF INFORMATION
 LOWER PERFORMANCE COMPUTERS
COST OF TECHNOLOGY - affects the poor areas and although the costs have come down, some
perceive this is an extra luxury that is not needed.
ACCESS FOR DISABLED - one of the concerns because these individuals require special software and
equipment in order to meet their needs.
LACK OF SKILLS, EDUCATION, INFORMATION - where education plays an important role
LOWER PERFORMANCE COMPUTER - computers which can support access to the internet or
other platforms

THE IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH DIVIDE

The notion of a divide between the rich north and the poor and developing south has long been a
central concept among economists and policymakers. From 1950 to 1980, the north accounted for almost
80 percent of global GDP but only 22 percent of its population, and the south accounted for the remainder
of global population and 20 percent global income.
But the north-south divide is now obsolete. The dynamic process of globalization has resulted in
unprecedented levels of growth and interdependence. However, while this has blurred the old division,
new ones have emerged, splintering today’s world into four interconnected tiers.
 The first tier comprises the affluent countries, notably the United States, European nations,
Australia and Japan — with a combined population of around one billion and per capita incomes ranging
from $79,000 (Luxembourg) to $16,000 (Republic of Korea). For the past 50 years, these affluent
countries have dominated the global economy, producing four-fifths of its economic output. However, in
recent years, a new set of economies has emerged that is contesting the affluent countries’ economic
dominance.
These emerging economies — call them the Globalizers — constitute a second tier of about 30
poor and middle-income countries (including China and India), with per capita GDP growth rates of 3.5
percent or more, and a total population of 3.2 billion, or roughly 50 percent of the world’s population.
These countries have experienced unprecedented levels of sustained economic growth that may well
enable them to replace the “Affluents” as engines of the world economy.
The North-South or Rich-Poor Divide is the socio-economic and political division that exists
between the wealthy developed countries, known collectively as “the North,” and the poorer developing
countries, known collectively as “the South.”
Brahm Fleisch is Professor of Education Policy and Head of the Division of Educational
Leadership, Policy and Skills, The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, who believes that
globalization is an opportunity to learn from each other by exploring innovative learning approaches
bridging the North-South divide. Fleisch’s work is featured in the new book, Future Directions of
Educational Change (edited by Helen Janc Malone, Santiago Rincón-Gallardo, and Kristin Kew;
Routledge, 2018), which brings together timely discussions on social justice, professional capital, and
systems change from some of the leading global scholars in the field of education.

REFERENCES:
Marcin Wojciech Solarz & Małgorzata Wojtaszczyk (2015) Population Pressures and the North–
South Divide between the first century and 2100, Third World Quarterly, 36:4, 802-816, DOI:
10.1080/01436597.2015.1024452
Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2015.1024452?
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Encyclopedia.com. (2021). ." international Encyclopedia of the social SCIENCES. . Encyclopedia.com.
15 MAR. 2021 .
Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/applied-and-social-sciences-
magazines/north-and-south-global