Question 1
The three terms, including ‘developing,’ ‘poor,’ and ‘less developed,’ are used to refer to impoverished nations that share the following characteristics.
Inadequate infrastructure. Such countries are said to be poor because they lack necessary infrastructure, such as an excellent transport network and sophisticated communication systems, which play a critical role in economic development.
The underutilization of resources. Even with abundant natural resources, inadequate utilization and exploitation due to inadequate capital, lack of skilled labor, and the failure to access the requisite technology stops such nations from prospering (Collier 37).
Unemployment. The countries are burdened by a high rate of unemployment. The lucky few that are employed receive a low income. The insufficient job opportunities mean that there is less capital to invest thus creating obstacles to economic development.
Extreme poverty. Poverty is a visibly thorny and disturbing issue in these states. Basic things like food, housing, health care, and clothing are unavailable or inaccessible to most citizens.
Widespread illiteracy. Many of the citizens in developing nations are unable to acquire basic education. The schooling system of the countries is plagued by a lack of adequate training and educational centers.
Overdependence on agriculture. The majority of the population in the countries is preoccupied with agriculture (Acemoglu and Robinson 51). To make matters worse, they mostly practice manual rather than mechanized farming. Additionally, due to the emphasis on agriculture, other important sectors are left with fewer human resources.
Question 2
I prefer using the term “underdeveloped” to refer to countries that are still developing. I believe that this is a more appropriate word to use than poor because the word is less demeaning. By calling countries underdeveloped, one does not necessarily imply that they are poor. Instead, the statement signifies that they have not yet attained the level of development that the other countries, which are mostly in the Western world, enjoy, which is characterized by better standards of living, a higher life expectancy, industrialization, improved access to education, and technological advancement.
Question 3
Development is the process that allows underprivileged people to improve their living conditions. It encompasses not only fiscal growth, but also other crucial factors, such as the provision of health care services, improved access to food, affordable education, and ensuring a safe environment. It is about giving people unlimited freedom to decide what they would want to do in life.
Question 4
The most fundamental measure of poverty is determined by looking at a person’s ability to satisfy his or her basic needs. In this case, a destitute individual is one that can hardly afford to meet critical necessities, such as food, housing, healthcare, clothing, education, and clean water.
Question 5
The three reasons for mass poverty include:
Corruption. It is one of the major driving factors for the existence of numerous poor people in the developing world. Fraudulent leaders siphon money that would otherwise be used for development projects. They stash the stolen proceeds away in foreign accounts (Collier 63). This sought of action suppresses development and creates an environment where a small group of rich and powerful citizens controls all the major sectors of the economy while the rest of the population is left to languish in poverty. In such countries, the well-off are never interested at all in solving the problems of the poor.
Education. In the developing world, poor people barely get an education. It happens either because they lack the requisite educational opportunities; as a result, they are forced to work to make ends meet. The cycle of poverty is repeated because their children are trapped in the cycle where they also have to work very hard to support their families.
Political instability. The countries in the developing world are troubled by incidents of political unrest which often destabilize them (Collier 16). Moreover, occasional clashes between governments in power and opposition leaders discourage both domestic and foreign investment hence subjecting the countries to endless poverty.
Works Cited
Acemoglu, Daron, and James Robinson. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. London, UK: Profile Books, 2012. Print.
Collier, Paul. The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done about It. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.
