Deck 12: B: Global Stratification

Question 1

How does global poverty differ from poverty in Canada?

Answer 1

Global poverty and poverty in Canada differ in several key aspects, including the severity, causes, and the measures used to address them. Here's a detailed comparison:

1. **Severity and Depth**:
- **Global Poverty**: In many developing countries, poverty can be extreme and life-threatening. People living in global poverty often lack access to basic necessities such as clean water, sufficient food, shelter, and healthcare. The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than $1.90 per day, which is a level of poverty that is virtually nonexistent in Canada.
- **Poverty in Canada**: While poverty in Canada is a significant issue, it is generally less severe than in many low-income countries. In Canada, poverty is often measured by relative standards, such as the Low-Income Measure (LIM) or the Market Basket Measure (MBM), which consider whether individuals have enough income to meet their basic needs and participate in society. Even those living in poverty in Canada usually have access to some form of shelter, clean water, and social services.

2. **Causes**:
- **Global Poverty**: The causes of global poverty are complex and varied, including historical factors such as colonialism, global economic disparities, trade imbalances, corruption, poor governance, conflict, and natural disasters. Many low-income countries also struggle with high levels of debt and limited access to education and technology.
- **Poverty in Canada**: In Canada, poverty can be attributed to factors such as unemployment or underemployment, lack of affordable housing, systemic barriers faced by indigenous communities and other marginalized groups, mental health issues, and inadequate social safety nets for certain individuals or families.

3. **Measurement and Data**:
- **Global Poverty**: Poverty is often measured by international standards and through data collected by organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank. These measurements allow for comparisons between countries and the tracking of global poverty reduction goals.
- **Poverty in Canada**: Poverty in Canada is measured using various national statistics and indices that reflect the cost of living and income distribution within the country. These measures are tailored to the Canadian context and may not be directly comparable to global poverty metrics.

4. **Policy and Intervention**:
- **Global Poverty**: Addressing global poverty often involves international aid, debt relief, and development programs aimed at improving infrastructure, education, and healthcare in low-income countries. Efforts to alleviate global poverty also include initiatives to promote fair trade and to increase economic opportunities in developing nations.
- **Poverty in Canada**: Efforts to reduce poverty in Canada typically involve domestic policy measures, such as social welfare programs, progressive taxation, minimum wage laws, affordable housing initiatives, and targeted support for vulnerable populations. The Canadian government also has poverty reduction strategies that focus on measurable targets and outcomes.

5. **Public Perception and Media Coverage**:
- **Global Poverty**: Global poverty is often highlighted in the context of humanitarian crises or when discussing global inequality. It can sometimes be portrayed in a way that lacks nuance or understanding of the local context.
- **Poverty in Canada**: Poverty in Canada may receive less international attention but is a subject of domestic policy debates and media coverage, particularly when it intersects with issues of housing affordability, healthcare access, and social justice.

In summary, while poverty exists both globally and in Canada, the nature and extent of poverty in these contexts differ significantly. The Canadian experience of poverty, while serious and challenging for those affected, generally does not reach the same levels of deprivation seen in the poorest parts of the world. The strategies to combat poverty also differ, with global efforts focusing on international cooperation and development, and Canadian efforts centered on domestic policy and social programs.

Question 2

With regard to dependency theory,exactly how are poor nations dependent on rich nations?

Answer 2

Dependency theory is a concept that originated in the context of the economic development and international relations, which suggests that the global economic system is structured in such a way that wealthier, more developed countries are able to maintain and enhance their positions of power and wealth at the expense of poorer, less developed countries. According to this theory, poor nations are dependent on rich nations in several key ways:

1. **Trade and Market Access**: Poor nations often rely on exporting raw materials and agricultural products to rich nations. These exports are subject to fluctuations in global market prices, which are often controlled by the economic activities of the richer countries. Moreover, developed countries may impose trade barriers that protect their own industries while making it difficult for developing countries to access their markets with finished goods.

2. **Capital and Investment**: Developing countries frequently depend on foreign direct investment (FDI) from wealthy nations to fund their development projects. However, this investment often comes with strings attached, such as the requirement to prioritize repayment of debts over domestic spending, or to implement certain economic policies that favor the investor countries' interests.

3. **Technology and Knowledge Transfer**: Rich nations possess advanced technologies and expertise, which poor nations need in order to develop their economies. However, the transfer of technology often happens on terms that are advantageous to the developed countries, such as through strict intellectual property rights regimes that limit the ability of developing countries to produce generic versions of products like pharmaceuticals.

4. **Aid and Assistance**: While international aid can provide essential support for development projects in poor nations, it can also create a dependency. This is because aid often comes with conditions that serve the interests of the donor country, such as policy reforms that align with the donor's ideological preferences or contracts that favor companies from the donor country.

5. **Debt**: Poor nations often incur significant debts to rich nations or international financial institutions (such as the IMF or World Bank) in order to finance development. The servicing of this debt can become a significant burden, consuming resources that could otherwise be used for social and economic development within the country.

6. **Political and Economic Policies**: Rich nations, through various international institutions and bilateral agreements, can exert influence over the economic policies of poor nations. This can include pushing for trade liberalization, deregulation, and privatization in ways that benefit multinational corporations based in developed countries.

7. **Cultural Influence**: The cultural products of rich nations (such as media, entertainment, and consumer goods) often dominate global markets, influencing the values and consumer habits of people in developing countries, sometimes at the expense of local cultures and industries.

Dependency theory argues that these forms of dependence are not accidental but are part of a systemic pattern that perpetuates the unequal distribution of power and resources in the global economy. Critics of dependency theory, however, argue that it may overemphasize the role of external factors in the underdevelopment of nations and underplay the role of internal factors such as governance, policy choices, and institutional quality. Nonetheless, the theory provides a framework for understanding the complex relationships between developed and developing countries and the challenges faced by the latter in trying to achieve sustainable and autonomous development.

Question 3

What is "happy poverty?

Answer 3

"Happy poverty" is a term that refers to a state or condition where an individual or group of people may have limited financial resources or material wealth but still experience a sense of contentment, happiness, and fulfillment in life. This concept suggests that happiness is not solely dependent on economic wealth or the accumulation of possessions, but rather on other factors such as strong community ties, meaningful relationships, personal freedom, and the ability to enjoy simple pleasures.

The idea of happy poverty challenges the conventional belief that higher income and more possessions automatically lead to greater happiness. It aligns with philosophies and lifestyles that prioritize non-materialistic values, such as minimalism, voluntary simplicity, and certain spiritual or religious practices that emphasize inner peace and satisfaction over external wealth.

In cultures or communities where happy poverty is embraced, people often focus on the quality of their social interactions, the richness of their cultural or spiritual lives, and the enjoyment of nature and the environment. They may also derive satisfaction from self-sufficiency, creativity, and the pursuit of personal or communal goals that do not revolve around financial success.

It's important to note that "happy poverty" is not an endorsement of poverty itself, which can be a source of significant hardship, stress, and suffering when it involves a lack of basic necessities such as food, shelter, healthcare, and education. Instead, the term highlights the possibility of finding happiness and contentment within a simple lifestyle by choice or by embracing the positive aspects of one's circumstances.

Question 4

What are the four stages of W.W.Rostow's modernization theory? Explain each stage.

Question 5

According to modernization theory,what are the four ways in which rich nations assist poor nations in economic development?

Question 6

What are four types of slavery found in today's world? Describe each type.

Question 7

Regarding Global Map 12-2 "The Odds of Surviving to the Age of Sixty-Five in Global Perspective" - what does this map tell us about global inequality?

Question 8

How does tradition play a part in keeping some people in slavery?

Question 9

How does neocolonialism differ from colonialism?

Question 10

Describe the distribution of income for the world as a whole.

Question 11

What is the difference between relative poverty and absolute poverty?