In the realm of political science and economics we use the terms of First and Third World, or what is known as Developed and Developing World. When we sit to think about, developed world brings to mind an image of the USA or Europe and Developing brings to mind an image of Pakistan or India. For me, this raises a question mark. It seems as though these terms were created so as to give the West power in the political and economic world.
The West dominates all the crucial UN Councils and it has a grip over a the World Bank. The US Dollar and the Euro are one of the top choices when a nation needs to peg its currency to a stable currency. It is the West that creates quality standards for all products what the people in the world trade (ISO 9000 and Euro Food Standards) We here in Pakistan aspire to send mangoes and oranges to the US and UK every year. All these things have lead to the "Developed World" establishing itself as an economic super power. An great example of this is when Pakistan wanted to build a gas pipeline with Iran. Since (at that time) the US and Iran were not on the same page politically, the US influenced Pakistan to sway away from the deal leading to the delay of the project till very recently. The West uses it's economic power to alter the trade activities of the world to suit its requirements.
An additional reason for this power to the West, is the tendency for "developing" nations to turn to "developed" ones for aid. May it be humanitarian or economical. All aid nowadays comes with a price tag. That price tag has now become, selling a national policy to suit that of the West!
In the political sphere, the "Developed" world sculpts the landscape to what they feel they can work with. The biggest example is with the Iranian elections that brought Mohammad Mossadegh to power. Prime Minister Mossadegh wanted to distribute wealth equally among all people. Since the US felt it contradicted their own policy, they orchestrated a coup through which the Shah was reinstated as King of Iran.
A lot of people in Pakistan believe, that through the ISI, the American government removed Bhutto from power since he was planning to bring about Islamic Socialism. Another reason for Bhutto being removed was his insistence on the country having nuclear weapons, despite the disapproval of the Americans.
In conclusion, the dynamic of developed vs developing has lead to the "third world" bowing to the 'first world's requirements and needs. However the growth of democracy and the spread of concepts like accountability catching fire in the developing world, seriously threatens the first world's grip over the rest of the world.
The West dominates all the crucial UN Councils and it has a grip over a the World Bank. The US Dollar and the Euro are one of the top choices when a nation needs to peg its currency to a stable currency. It is the West that creates quality standards for all products what the people in the world trade (ISO 9000 and Euro Food Standards) We here in Pakistan aspire to send mangoes and oranges to the US and UK every year. All these things have lead to the "Developed World" establishing itself as an economic super power. An great example of this is when Pakistan wanted to build a gas pipeline with Iran. Since (at that time) the US and Iran were not on the same page politically, the US influenced Pakistan to sway away from the deal leading to the delay of the project till very recently. The West uses it's economic power to alter the trade activities of the world to suit its requirements.
An additional reason for this power to the West, is the tendency for "developing" nations to turn to "developed" ones for aid. May it be humanitarian or economical. All aid nowadays comes with a price tag. That price tag has now become, selling a national policy to suit that of the West!
In the political sphere, the "Developed" world sculpts the landscape to what they feel they can work with. The biggest example is with the Iranian elections that brought Mohammad Mossadegh to power. Prime Minister Mossadegh wanted to distribute wealth equally among all people. Since the US felt it contradicted their own policy, they orchestrated a coup through which the Shah was reinstated as King of Iran.
A lot of people in Pakistan believe, that through the ISI, the American government removed Bhutto from power since he was planning to bring about Islamic Socialism. Another reason for Bhutto being removed was his insistence on the country having nuclear weapons, despite the disapproval of the Americans.
In conclusion, the dynamic of developed vs developing has lead to the "third world" bowing to the 'first world's requirements and needs. However the growth of democracy and the spread of concepts like accountability catching fire in the developing world, seriously threatens the first world's grip over the rest of the world.
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