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RICH & POOR Countries
Posted by Renddy Rose Rodriguez
on
5/14/2009 12:56:00 AM
FOR ADVANCE STUDENT
The common phrases used to describe the rich world include "the developed countries" and "the advanced industrial countries". To describe very poor countries, we usually refer to "The Third World". It can be more diplomatic to speak of "the developing countries", though this description is often applied to countries which are not so very poor.
People in the rich world have mixed attitudes towards giving aid to Third World countries. Some take the view that charity begins at home. It is true that there are many people in need in Britain. However, the people who are making the most generous donations to domestic charities are often the ones who are supporting emergency appeals for the victims of conflicts and disasters overseas. Church-based campaigns such as "Christian Aid" and secular ones such as "Children in Need" direct themselves to both national and international causes.
The obligation of the rich world towards the poor world is not based on history alone. As a former colonial power, Britain was once responsible for the slave trade and the exploitation of other countries' resources. But today, together with other rich countries, we continue to dominate world markets, setting the terms of trade in our favour. We continue to sell arms to oppressive regimes, which accumulate debt and do little to alleviate hunger among their own populations.
1. What can you say about your country's development for the past 10 years? Do you think that there is a big improvement or progress?
2. Would you consider living or working to Third World Countries?
3. What kind of aid should the governments of rich countries give to poor countries?
4. Do you think population control is more important in poor countries than in rich countries?
5. Is it right for rich countries to have strict immigration controls to stop people from poorer countries entering them and sharing in their better standard of living?
6. In some countries, people tend to discriminate people from other third world countries. Do you have the same situation in Korea? Do you also have a tendency to discriminate someone if he/she came from the Third world country?
7. Do you agree that Immigration should not be limited to people of similar race and culture and we should welcome the opportunity of a truly multi-racial society?
8. Everybody should be encouraged to do Voluntary Service Overseas (i.e. to live and work in the Third World) so that we can understand the problems of poorer countries and make a contribution to help them.
9. Would you like to be an overseas volunteer in a Third World country? If so, which one and how could you contribute to that country’s development?
10. Are the poor poor because they are poor or because they are lazy?
11. Do you believe that nowadays the poor become poorer while the rich become richer?
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The common phrases used to describe the rich world include "the developed countries" and "the advanced industrial countries". To describe very poor countries, we usually refer to "The Third World". It can be more diplomatic to speak of "the developing countries", though this description is often applied to countries which are not so very poor.Economists also refer to "the North South divide" to emphasize that countries in the northern hemisphere are generally richer than those in the southern hemisphere - namely Africa and Latin America.
People in the rich world have mixed attitudes towards giving aid to Third World countries. Some take the view that charity begins at home. It is true that there are many people in need in Britain. However, the people who are making the most generous donations to domestic charities are often the ones who are supporting emergency appeals for the victims of conflicts and disasters overseas. Church-based campaigns such as "Christian Aid" and secular ones such as "Children in Need" direct themselves to both national and international causes.
The obligation of the rich world towards the poor world is not based on history alone. As a former colonial power, Britain was once responsible for the slave trade and the exploitation of other countries' resources. But today, together with other rich countries, we continue to dominate world markets, setting the terms of trade in our favour. We continue to sell arms to oppressive regimes, which accumulate debt and do little to alleviate hunger among their own populations.
Discussion question:
1. What can you say about your country's development for the past 10 years? Do you think that there is a big improvement or progress?
2. Would you consider living or working to Third World Countries?
3. What kind of aid should the governments of rich countries give to poor countries?
4. Do you think population control is more important in poor countries than in rich countries?
5. Is it right for rich countries to have strict immigration controls to stop people from poorer countries entering them and sharing in their better standard of living?
6. In some countries, people tend to discriminate people from other third world countries. Do you have the same situation in Korea? Do you also have a tendency to discriminate someone if he/she came from the Third world country?
7. Do you agree that Immigration should not be limited to people of similar race and culture and we should welcome the opportunity of a truly multi-racial society?
8. Everybody should be encouraged to do Voluntary Service Overseas (i.e. to live and work in the Third World) so that we can understand the problems of poorer countries and make a contribution to help them.
9. Would you like to be an overseas volunteer in a Third World country? If so, which one and how could you contribute to that country’s development?
10. Are the poor poor because they are poor or because they are lazy?
11. Do you believe that nowadays the poor become poorer while the rich become richer?
PHOTO CREDIT: www.boston.com/business/gallery/stimuluspackages
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