The Failure of the Global South in Achieving Economic Growth

The Failure of the Global South in Achieving Economic Growth

'The law of the strongest is often the only law'[1] This is one of the

many factors highlighted by the Fair Trade Organisation. The fair

trade organisation is one of the components that help to explain the

economic split between the global north and south. Other components

such as corporate responsibility, globalisation or Americanisation and

capitalism are also all components that can help to asses how much

involvement the west have for the economic split between the global

north and south. These factors will be examined in detail.

The notion of an economic spilt between the global south and north can

be put down to many factors. However the most prominent factor dates

back to the era of colonial times. The Europeans turned to Africa for

labour and thus the slave trade began. Prior to the industrial

revolution Britain was in the backwater. However they were able to

conquer the world with slavery. Strong religious elements from

Christianity, which taught to Britain go fourth and conquer, thus

markets were opened up, while the armed forces and the navy were the

only protectors of trade. Western countries are generally looked upon

as rich nations who have a 'higher per capita product' This is mainly

due to the fact that western society have access to modern technology

hence they are more economically developed nations.

In contrast to this, the global south tends to have a much low per

capita income. It can be said that the two groups are 'completely

isolate from each other and indeed have no knowledge of each others

existence'[2] this idea however is not totally unrealisti...

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...ous lands and people have been dredged down. It can therefore

be concluded that the west has had a tremendous negative impact on the

economies of the global southern countries. The US is the global power

of the world. The extreme capitalist agenda of the American

governments has ensured that they are kept at the top, regardless of

how there decisions affect the rest of the world.

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[1] www.Fairtrade.org

[2] North over South, S. Bandyopadhyaiya, 1971, pg4

[3] Rise to Globalism, Stephen E. Ambrose and Douglas G. Brinkley,

1971, pg96

[4] Urban policy, Hisch and Mohl,1993,pg97

[5] American Empire, Andrew J. Bacevich, 2002, pg 20

[6] Rise to Globalism, Stephen E. Ambrose and Douglas G. Brinkley,

2002, pg34

[7] www.fairtrade.org