Modern Challenges
Developed and developing nations are characterized by different levels of economic
development, population characteristics, and social conditions.
A developed nation is an industrialized nation
with advanced technology. Developed nations
have low birth rates, lower infant mortality rates,
and higher literacy levels, are industrialized, have
more and better health care, more stable economic
conditions, lower population growth, and lower death
rates.
Examples of developed Nations – U.S.,
Canada, Western Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait.
A developing nation is a country in the process of industrializing, where people often
follow traditional lifestyles. Developing nations have high percentages of poverty, high
birth rates, high infant mortality rates, lower literacy rates, less or no health care, or no
developing industrialization, and unstable economic conditions, rapid population growth,
high death rates.
Examples of developing nations – India, Somalia, Sudan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam,
Haiti, Mexico, El Salvador, Peru.
Contrasts between Developed and Developing
Nations:
- Geographic locations of major developed and
developing nations. Developed countries tend to be
in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Economic conditions. Economy is a major
determinant on whether a country is developed or
not.
- Social conditions (literacy, access to health care).
- Population size and rate of growth.
Both developed and developing nations face many challenges. These include migrations,
ethnic and religious conflict, and new technologies.
Migrations of Refugees and Others:
- Refugees as an issue in international conflicts. A refugee is a
person who must leave his/her home and flee elsewhere for
safety. Refugees migrate for various reasons, which include
political, ethnic, and religious conflicts.
- Migration of “guest workers” to European cities. “Guest
workers” are people who migrate from poor countries to wealthier countries who have
temporary permission to work.
Ethnic and Religious Conflicts:
- Middle East. Tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors remain high
(Israelis vs. Palestinians).
- Northern Ireland. Tensions grow between Catholics and Protestants in
Northern Ireland.
- Balkans. In Yugoslavia, Serbs and other ethnic groups have fought over
control.
- Horn of Africa. Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea grew. Eritreans wanted
independence from Ethiopia. In Somalia, civil war and tensions grew as
there was a power struggle over warlords.
- South Asia. Struggle between Pakistan and India over an area called
Kashmir has continued.
Impact of New Technologies:
- Widespread but unequal access to communications.
- Genetic engineering and bioethics. Questions of ethics have come up in terms of
manipulating biology. Some question the moral concerns and/or health concerns.
Economic development and the rapid growth of population are having an impact on the
environment.
Factors affecting Environment and Society:
- Economic development.
- Rapid population growth.
Environmental Challenges:
- Pollution.
- Loss of habitat. Deforestation and desertification have
killed off many species of animals and plants.
- Global climate change.
International Interactions in the Modern Era
Sound economic conditions contribute to a stable democracy, and a political freedom helps
foster economic development.
Relationship between Economic and Political
Freedom:
- Free market economies produce rising standards of
living and an expanding middle class, which produces
growing demands for political freedoms and individual
rights. Recent examples include Taiwan and South Korea.
The countries of the world are increasingly dependent on each other for raw materials,
markets, and financial resources, although there is still a difference between the developed
and developing nations. Interdependence is when countries rely on each other because no
one country produces everything that it needs.
Economic Interdependence:
- Role of rapid transportation, communication, and computer networks.
- Rise and influence of multinational corporations. These corporations can
sell goods to other countries as well as create jobs in other countries. They
also seek to get involved a country’s politics.
- Changing role of international boundaries in the economy. International
economics is moving towards free trade, where political boundaries mean
less.
- Regional integration (European Union). The European Union (1993) brought
cooperation in the areas of defense, crime, and immigration.
- Trade agreements – North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), World Trade
Organization (WTO). NAFTA eliminated trade barriers such as tariffs between Canada,
the U.S., and Mexico; it became effective in 1994. The World Trade Organization (WTO)
deals with the rules of trade between nations at a global or near-global level.
- International organizations – United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF was established after WWII to loan money to countries in need of assistance.
Both developed and developing nations of the world have problems that are bought by
inequities in their social, cultural, and economic systems. Some individuals choose to deal
with these unequal conditions through the use of terrorist activities. Terrorism is the use of
violence and threats to intimidate and coerce for political reasons. A major cause of
terrorism is religious extremism.
Examples of International Terrorism:
- Munich Olympics – An infamous example of terrorism is during the
1972 Olympics. Members of Israel’s Olympic team were held hostage
and killed by Palestinian terrorists demanding the release of prisoners.
- Terrorist attacks in the U.S. (9/11/2001) – Motivated by extremism
(Osama bin Laden).
- Car Bombings – An example of a car bombing is in 1995, when
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bombed a building in Oklahoma
city as an antigovernment protest.
- Suicide bombers – The USS Cole was bombed by a suicide bomber
in 2000 as was the 9/11 attacks.
- Airline hijackers.
Social Challenges:
- Poverty.
- Poor health.
- Illiteracy.
- Famine.
- Migration.
Governmental Responses to Terrorist Activities:
- Surveillance and privacy rights. After 9/11, laws were passed that expanded the
government’s ability to monitor or observe private citizens in order to
protect Americans from terrorists. This is highly criticized due to privacy
rights.
- Security at ports and airports. Security has been increased in shipping
and travel areas around the world.
- Identification badges and photos. After 9/11, there have been growing
numbers of schools and businesses that require photo I.D. badges to enter buildings.