Technological Development and the Third World
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE THIRD WORLD
I wonder if people in Third World countries know that they are considered the "Third World?" Do they use that term in reference to themselves? Do they have any perception of the comparison, judgment and bias that goes into that statement? I'd like to think that they don't. In the film about the Ladack people that we watched in class, it was mentioned that they didn't have a word for poverty. No such word even existed in their language. But that was before.
It was before the invasion of other cultures, and it was before they had anything to compare themselves to. And in comparison, they saw that, materially, they had less. And in that knowledge, they believed that they, as a people, were less. In this essay, I will examine third world communities and the relationship between technological development and environmental degradation. I will look first at the way in which development occurred in the South, and the reason it happened the way that it did. From there, I will show how these methods of development proceeded to eventually cause widespread environmental damage and it's effect on the local people. .
DEVELOPMENT: "WESTERN" STYLE
When I refer to "the environment", I mean not only the habitat that humans, plants and animals inhabit, but also the physical, emotional and psychological attitudes that are encompassed by these in their daily existence.
Development, by my definition, will consequently refer to the technological advancement of a community as well as the improved status of humans and other species. This is my definition, and one that others employ frequently now.
However, the model I will be examining first is the development theory based on the economic - political system. "A typical western (read: economic) definition of development would be ' an ambiguous term for a multidimensional process involving material, social and organizational change, accelerated economic growth, [and] the reduction of absolute poverty and inequality.'" (1) The key emphasis in this statement is the phrase "economic growth." In Europe and North
America, development politics has revolved around the economic aspect of producing surplus, and gaining capital. Because of ...
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...e must adopt some new behaviors. Our current model of development is showing some obvious flaws and it is evident that it is the impact of technology that has resulted in. environmental damage. But technology is not the only factor at fault. It is the influence of technology combined with human greed that has presented these complex human and environmental problems. Laws monitoring pollution of the environment must be enforced, and followed equally in all countries. With the knowledge that we now possess of the global chaos that is at hand, we have no excuse but to do so.
The hypocrisy that exists between the systems must also be stopped.
Considering not only ourselves, but the endangered lives of others is essential to the continuation of our species as a whole. Our fortunate position in a developed nation does not give us the right to create a hierarchy of our existence as more important than the life of another.
Possibly, the only way that we are going to combat any of these problems is by education. It will take more than a few dedicated people to change the world, but with the influence of many, anything is possible.
In “Antebellum Southern Exceptionalism: A New Look at an Old Question” James McPherson argues that the North and the South are two very different parts of the country in which have different ideologies, interests, and values. Mcpherson writes this to show the differences between the north and the south. He gives perspectives from other historians to show how the differently the differences were viewed. These differences included the north being more industrialized while the south was more agricultural. He gives evidence to how the differences between the north and south came together as the south produced tobacoo, rice, sugar and cotton, which was then sent to the north to be made into clothing or other fabrics. Mcpherson analyzes the differences
In the South, however, the economy was predominantly agricultural. Cotton and tobacco plantations relied heavily on the free labor of slaves for their economic prosperity. They saw the urbanization and industrialization of the North, and the economic connection between the North a...
because they could not speak english, they could not buy food and making friends. The
A rift between the north and the south had been present since the late eighteenth centaury. It began with the industrial revolution, which saw the northern states prosper. The north changed industries from fa...
After the Union victory in the Civil War, the South was still bitter and needed vast societal changes that matched those in the North. Reconstruction efforts were made to to make the regions more similar socially, politically, and economically; because despite the fact that they were on nation, the two societies were very different. There were still unresolved issues in regards to the status of former slaves and what system of labor should replace slavery. After the Union’s victory in the Civil War, reform efforts were made during the Reconstruction era to reunite the North and South and make ideas in the South more similar to those in the North; but this failed because of the South’s preconcieved ideas towards race.
During the American Revolution and the civil war, the North and the South experienced development of different socio-political and cultural environmental conditions. The North became an industrial and manufacturing powerhouse as a result of rise of movements like abolitionism and women’s right while the South became a cotton kingdom whose labor was sourced from slavery (Spark notes, 2011).
them, and little if any was given in return. The people who live among these
The North and South were forming completely different economies, and therefore completely different geographies, from one another during the period of the Industrial Revolution and right before the Civil War. The North’s economy was based mainly upon industrialization from the formation of the American System, which was producing large quantities of goods in factories. The North was becoming much more urbanized due to factories being located in cities, near the major railroad systems for transportation of the goods, along with the movement of large groups of factory workers to the cities to be closer to their jobs. With the North’s increased rate of job opportunities, many different people of different ethnic groups and classes ended up working together. This ignited the demise of the North’s social order. The South was not as rapidly urbanizing as the North, and therefore social order was still in existence; the South’s economy was based upon the production of cotton after Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin. Large cotton plantations’ production made up the bulk of America’s...
With the economic system, the south had a very hard time producing their main source “cotton and tobacco”. “Cotton became commercially significant in the 1790’s after the invention of a new cotton gin by Eli Whitney. (PG 314)” Let alone, if they had a hard time producing goods, the gains would be extremely unprofitable. While in the North, “In 1837, John Deere patented a strong, smooth steel plow that sliced through prairie soil so cleanly that farmers called it the “singing plow.” (PG 281).” Deere’s company became the leading source to saving time and energy for farming as it breaks much more ground to plant more crops. As well as mechanical reapers, which then could harvest twelve acres a day can double the corn and wheat. The North was becoming more advanced by the second. Many moved in the cities where they would work in factories, which contributed to the nation’s economic growth because factory workers actually produced twice as much of labor as agricultural workers. Steam engines would be a source of energy and while coal was cutting prices in half actually created more factories, railroads for transportation, and ships which also gave a rise in agricultural productivity.
Technology enables students and teachers to have a fast and easy way to acquire unlimited access to tons of information. With all of the useful technologies, the curriculum is bound to change in endless ways, creating more opportunity for learning.
American high school students use a computer almost every single day. This was not Sharon’s high school reality. Sharon is a University of Oregon student from Uganda. She explained to me that although there were computers at her high school, she only got the opportunity to use one about once a month. One computer was shared among roughly 200 students. Cell phones were created in the 70’s but weren’t actually common in Uganda until the 90’s. The use of technology there is much different. Although they have all of the technology that we consider normal in the US, it is not as nearly as prevalent. One of the benefits of this is that here is no issue with teens becoming addicted to social media and instead kids spend lots of time outside playing.
However, the people of that time most likely did not believe that they were. Perspective is vital in any comparison. A person from a highly technological society cannot easily understand the lifestyle of a civilization not so advanced.... ... middle of paper ... ...
...an overabundance of information all applicable to the topic. My feeling was that such an overwhelming load of facts and systems directed me away from the most important facts of the chapter. Its imperative that the student understands the small scale relationship to economic development. Therefore my attempt was to highlight the main topics of the chapter and relate them to the reader to provoke intrest and thought towards many of these important life changing situations that occur everyday. If one can see past all the theories primarily and see the cause and effects behind them, they’re appreciation for the ideas stated in the theories.
Technology – as defined by the US National Academy of Science (cited in Jones 1996, p.17) –
This paper discusses the relationship between technology and society. It focuses on how technology has influenced various aspects of the society. The areas looked are: how technology has affected the communication, transportation, education, health, economic activities, environment, food production, food conservation and preservation and food distribution. It has gone further to explain how technology has radically changed the demographic structure of the societies in question, specifically Japan society. In addition, it has discussed how technology has influenced government policy formulation.