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Causes of the Global Development Gap

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8 views2 pages

Causes of the Global Development Gap

Uploaded by

elisatoledanooo
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The development gap is the difference in development between different countries.

It grew
because of these reasons: historical, geographical, health and education, conflict and
corruption, lack of industry and relying on few exports.

Historical reasons that held back development include the Industrial Revolution because
countries with more money and resources built industries and got richer, whereas poorer
countries with less resources couldn’t afford to build them. At first, the industrialized countries
traded with poor countries to get the materials they needed for their industries. However,
they soon realized it was easier to colonize countries with resources so they could get them
cheaper and easier. They took the resources and slaves and, when the colonies won their
independence, they went away leaving the countries in very poor conditions. For example,
Spain colonized America.
Other reasons were the geographical ones because the location affects a country’s
development. For instance, Malawi is landlocked so it can’t trade with other countries except
its neighbours. On the other hand, Singapore has a very good location because China and other
countries have to pass through Singapore to export their goods to Europe so Singapore
established trade routes. Depending on their locations, countries have different climates. If a
country is too hot or dry like Yemen it can be hard for it to grow crops. At the same time, if the
climate is too cold or wet it can also affect the harvest. A country’s natural resources also plays
an important role because if the country has natural resources like oil, soil or gold it can use
them and become richer.
Health and education affects a country’s development because if there’s no money to get
enough trained teachers and to build schools, children will not go to school so the literacy rate
will decline and so will the development. Besides, people in poor countries have to spend a lot
of time looking for basic needs like water and firewood so they don’t have time to go to
school. Moreover, poverty can also limit the possibility of people to go to the doctor if they get
illnesses like AIDS, TB and malaria because there’s not enough doctors and people can’t afford
to pay them. However, the main reason why people get so ill in poor un-developed countries
like Malawi is that they don’t have enough money to pay for clean water, cleaning materials…
so they live in a dirty atmosphere and therefore are more likely to catch diseases. Another
problem is undernourishment because if people don’t have enough to eat then they will not
be able to work efficiently so they won’t make much money.
Conflict and corruption will mean the country will have to spend money on guns and war
equipment so they won’t spend money on schools, electricity, roads… Corrupt leaders are
another example of bad usage of money since they will spend all the country’s money on
themselves and not on other important things for the country. An unstable government like
the one in Argentina is also a problem because there will be lots of elections to choose a
president so nobody will have the chance to improve anything. An unfair legal system permits
corruption and bribes so people end up getting in charge of the government even if they aren’t
voted.
Lack of industry will hold back a country’ development because to build an industry you need
roads, electricity, expertise workers and lots of money because it’s very expensive to set up a
factory. But if they haven’t got factories, it will mean that they will have to sell the crops and
raw materials cheaper because they are not adding value to them.
Finally, relying on few exports (specially commodities) will mean that if the demand for that
product decreases or there’s better offers from other countries there will be price fluctuations
and low profits. Natural disasters like volcanoes and floods can destroy harvests so it can lead
to a crisis because the country has lost all its cash crops.
Some countries will have all the problems mentioned above, others will only have some or
none. However, the more problems they have the more difficult it will be to escape poverty
and to increase its development. This will make the development gap grow because, while
other countries keep improving and getting better, some can’t escape poverty because they
find harder and harder to catch up.

Common questions

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Colonial history significantly contributed to the development gap as industrialized countries colonized others to cheaply acquire resources, leaving the colonies in poor conditions after independence. This colonization allowed industrialized countries to build wealth and industries while leaving the colonized nations impoverished, leading to long-lasting economic disparities .

Undernourishment and lack of basic needs reduce workforce productivity by impairing physical capacity and focus required for labor. Without proper nutrition, individuals can't maintain health and strength, lowering their ability to work efficiently. Additionally, time spent obtaining basic needs detracts from productivity and prevents skill development, weakening economic output .

Infrastructure is pivotal for industrial development as it supports the establishment and sustainability of industries. Adequate roads, electricity, and skilled workers are necessary to build and maintain factories. Without infrastructure, countries cannot advance in manufacturing and must sell raw materials cheaply, limiting economic growth and contributing to the development gap .

Historical events such as the Industrial Revolution contributed to current development inequalities by enabling industrialized nations to amass resources and wealth while leaving non-industrialized countries behind. This early industrial advantage allowed these countries to build powerful economies, while those unable to industrialize remained dependent on raw material exports, leading to persistent economic disparities .

Natural disasters exacerbate economic vulnerability in developing countries by destroying crucial agricultural assets, which can trigger economic crises due to the loss of cash crops. Such events deplete resources that could otherwise be used for development and reduce the economic resilience of affected countries, perpetuating the development gap .

Conflict and corruption hinder development by diverting resources away from essential services, such as education and infrastructure, towards military and personal enrichment. Corruption undermines the governance structures needed for development, leading to inefficient use of resources, while conflict destabilizes economies, deterring investment and perpetuating poverty .

A country's geographical location influences its economic development by affecting trade opportunities and agricultural productivity. For example, landlocked countries like Malawi face trade limitations, while strategically located ones like Singapore benefit from trade routes. Climate also plays a role, as extreme weather conditions can hinder agricultural productivity and thus economic growth .

Health and education are crucial for economic development, as inadequate investment leads to low literacy rates and a lack of a skilled workforce. Poor health due to unclean living conditions results in high disease prevalence, reducing the ability to work and thus diminishing economic productivity. Additionally, time spent on basic needs detracts from education opportunities, further hindering development .

Reliance on few exports, especially commodities, makes a country's economy vulnerable to price fluctuations and competitive pressures. When demand decreases or competitors offer better deals, profits fall, hindering economic stability and development. This reliance prevents value addition and diversification, stalling overall economic growth .

Countries with unstable governments face challenges such as frequent elections and policy shifts, limiting long-term development planning. Political instability deters investment and can lead to unfair practices like corruption, where leaders misuse resources. This results in underfunded infrastructure and social services, impeding sustainable development .

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