Why Poor Countries Are Poor
The question of why poor countries are poor may seem simple and one dimensional at first glance. However, the answer to this question is actually quite intricate, as many interweaving aspects must be observed. Although it is impossible to explain why many countries remain in poverty within just a few pages, I will attempt to touch upon some of the broader factors. A poor country or a low-income economy is defined as a country with a Gross National Product per capita of $765 dollars or less. In 1995, the World Bank claimed that 49 countries fell into this category. Geography, colonialism, industrialization, resources, education, overpopulation, infrastructure, government, investment, and debt are only a few of the many interrelated factors that have caused many countries to remain in poverty.
One of the biggest reasons for such a low GNP is a country’s geographic location. Historically, the regions that have flourished have been those rich in primary resources such as water, irrigation, agriculture, fertile soil, etc. Water is perhaps the most essential of these resources. It has been a means for transportation, agriculture, and plays a key role in health. Nations without rivers and proper irrigation have had many problems developing. Countries in Europe (especially Northern Europe) have thrived because of its geographic location in relation to water. On the other hand, a country like Mexico lacks rivers and thus is not very fertile, resulting in problems with health. We can also see that poverty is stricken throughout countries in Africa (in particular the Sahara), because of its lack of water...
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... order to understand the problem with poor countries’ economic growth we cannot just look from an economic, political, or historical standpoint. If there were an easy answer to the question posed than perhaps poor countries would not exist.
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Poverty is not just an issue reserved for third world countries. Instead, poverty is a multifaceted issue that even the most developed nations must battle
James Madison: The Federalist No. 51, The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments; Feb. 1788
Washington, George. "Farewell Address of 1796." The Avalon Project; Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy. Yale Law School, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
Within the world today, there are many organizations with varying opinions about specific ideals. But some of the organizations will take things to the extreme, and will do almost anything to prove that their view is the right one. This extreme act to further an objective is known as terrorism, but what exactly is a formal definition of terrorism? Frank Schmalleger defines it as “[a] violent act or an act dangerous to human life, in violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state, that is committed to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (Criminal Justice Today, 2013 p.560). The American way of life and other aspects such as policy and the criminal justice system have been impacted by terrorism in many ways over the course of the twenty first century.
In general, poverty is a widely spread all over the world but there are areas where due to certain factors, it is more common than in others. There are a lot of factors that can cause poverty one of the example is, natural disasters. There are many types of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, etc. Over ninety percent of deaths rate are caused by natural disasters take place in poor countries because in poor countries they do not have abilities to prevent the disaster and the houses are made of lower quantity. Compare to the richer countries, poor courtiers are more difficulty to recover because they are already poor and the natural disasters may only make it worse. After the natural disasters, the environment of counties will likely to be polluted wherefore it is more susceptible to disease because less clean water to be use and fewer doctors and health care. In addition, government will need rebuild the houses and infrastructures that have been damaged. (slideshare.net, 2009) Another example is, high divorce rate may increases the poverty especially for
The student body is vibrant with clubs and societies to meet every demand, backed by a JCR that boasts the largest budget in Oxford. Drama is especially strong with a dedicated studio theatre. Both physical and bar sports are indulged with great passion. All first and third years can be accommodated on site with many, but not all, second years being sheltered at Jowett Walk, situated by the college sports field less than a 5 minute walk away. All are study bedrooms equipped with internet connection. Self-catering facilities are provided for students who do not fancy dining in hall.
Most people of the society still blame the poor for their own predicament. They believe that "if there is a will there is a way". However, they do not think about their government that might had made bad decisions and policies that could actually harm successful development. This causes of poverty and inequality are usually less discussed and often neglected. We must recognize the effects poverty could have on the society and seek ways to create better understanding and resolve the issue before it is too late.
In conclusion, Collier thoroughly explains his reasons behind why the bottom billion countries are poor. His arguments covered a variety of the course concepts like internationalism, failed state, Globalization, and economic forces. However, after critical evaluation, it is clear that Collier ignored and underestimated several of these concepts.
Developing regions like Sub-Saharan Africa are a hot bed for diseases like malaria and aids. Neither the people nor the government can afford the medications to treat the sick, or the simple measures it would take to prevents them. With much of the population chronically sick, hospitals and clinics are overcrowded with sickness of all types. When the citizens are sick they cannot contribute to the GDP, they then become a drain on resources, again trapping their regions in poverty. Geography is not without blame. Most of Africa’s impoverished nations and many other developing nations are “hindered by high transport costs because they are landlocked; situated in high mountain ranges; or lack navigable rivers, long coastlines, or good natural harbors” (Sachs pg.59). Countries obviously can’t change their physical locations, and are thus becoming reliant on surrounding areas and governments to make transportation affordable and achievable, by not imposing strict border laws and taxes. Many citizens of wealthy nations fail to take into the account of how lucky they are to simply live where they do, nearly all the world’s wealthiest nations are wealthy because of their access to trade routes. Of course the governments in trapped countries pay a major role, and tend to be some of those most corrupt on the planet, but often even those countries who want reform cannot achieve it. With their nations resources completely depleted, any type of reform becomes near impossible. You cannot create medical, education, or savings programs without and taxes, and you cannot tax those whom live on less than $2.00 a day, and so once again the cycle
Poverty has many causes. In some third world countries, poverty is very widespread because they do not have enough resources to provide basic needs for their population. In those countries there is not enough safe drinking water, and they do not produce enough food to feed all of the people that live there. In countries that aren’t as desperately poor, there are still large numbers of people living in poverty, because those countries don’t have enough job opportunities that allow the poor to make enough money to pay for the food and shelter that they need. Even in more advanced and modern countries, people can fall into and have a hard time getting out of poverty, because they don’t have access to an adequate edu...
Economic growth is the most effective instrument for reducing poverty and enhancing the quality of life in developing countries. The benefits brought about from economic growth is strong growth and business opportunities enhance incentives. This may lead to the rise of a strong and growing group of entrepreneurs, which should generate pressure for enhanced administration. Strong economic growth therefore advances human development, which in turn promotes economic growth. But, under different conditions, comparative rates of development can have altogether different consequences for neediness, the occupation prospects of poor people and more extensive pointers of human development. The extent to which growth decreases neediness depends on the extent to which the poor take an interest in the growth process and share in its returns (Riley, G.
There are many reasons why poverty is an increasing problem. The first is delayed modernization. These less-developed countries barely have enough skilled workers and managers and technology. Industrialized countries have four times as many managers and workers as the less-developed countries, also known as LDC's. It is almost impossible for the lower-developed countries to catch up or even compete with the industrialized countries....
Why Nations Fail takes an in depth look into why some countries flourish and become rich powerful nations while other countries are left in or reduced to poverty. Throughout this book review I will discuss major arguments and theories used by the authors and how they directly impact international development, keeping in mind that nations are only as strong as their political and economical systems.