The Global Divides: The North and South

THE GLOBAL
DIVIDES
The North and South
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this section, you are expected to:
 Explain the term Global South; and
 Differentiate the Global South from the Third
World.
Since the process of globalization is uneven, it
follows that here is an imbalance in the socio-
economic and political categories of the world. The
world is divided into north and south, and first,
second and third.
S
This is a reflection of the global divide between the north
and south as experienced by the Filipinos.
➢ Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Europe, Australia and

America tend to see the big different between the ways of living
in the Philippines and in Western countries. Some of them come
home “ one-day millionaires” giving out presents to their family,
relatives, neighbors, and friends. Although theirs incomes are
relatively higher than if they work in the Philippines, they realize
that life is still tough despite the remittances they send to their
families and the taxes that the country gains from these.
Furthermore, they cannot escape the reality that their occasional
vacations in the Philippines are temporary because they would need to
go back to work in order to continue making a living in another country.
This is a reflection of the global divide between the north and south as
experienced by the Filipinos.

Global South is a metaphor for interstate inequality and a
product of Western imagination (Claudio, 2014).
Historically, there had been divisions and labeling among the

different nations of the world. Countries that were colonized by
the Spaniards in the southern part of the American continent are
collectively called Latin America. By, virtue of the Treaty of
Tordesillas in 1494, the newly discovered lands outside Europe
were divided in two.
1. West belonging to the Crown of Castile (now part of Spain)
2. East belonging to the Portuguese Empire.
There is also a split based on labor,

• The Core
• The Semi- Periphery
• The Peripheries
From these divisions, the global south refers to the socio-
economic and political divide primarily focused on the southern
hemisphere of the 1569- designed Mercatorian map.
It consists of Africa, Latin America, and Asia including
the middle East. These nation-states are deemed to be
not aligned with nation-states located in the northern
hemisphere that adhere to fair labour practices, right,
free trade, reduced, tariffs and policies on sustainable
development. The Global South also connotes
developing countries as opposed to rich, industries and
wealthy nations.
On the contrary, the Global North is the home of all members of the
Group of Eight (G8).
1. Canada 5. Japan
2. France 6. United Kingdom
3. Germany 7. Russia
4. Italy 8. United States of America
It is also the abode of the four powerful permanent members of
the United Nation Security Council. It is also refers to the developed
countries in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. As stated by Claudio
(2014), the Global South “continues to be imagined and re-
imagined by those who dominate it even as a movement from below
reshape these construction through resistance”.
Although usually associated with developing nations, the Global
South is also found in developed countries. Economically poor
families, underprivileged individuals, unfair labor practices, and
suppression of human rights, and other violations of basic rights
in Europe, Australia, US, and Canada are the pieces of evidence
that people from developed countries also share similar
experiences with people from developing countries.

Conversely, a trip to the cosmopolitan metropolis of Metro
Manila by someone from Tupi, South Cotabato denoting
high standard of living, availability of better transport
system, prevalence of banking and financial institutions,
presence of big commercial establishments, and centrality
of the national government is that person’s experience of
the “Global North”. The Global North, therefore, is also
relatively experienced within the geographical boundaries of
the Global South.
By now, one can say that the terms Global South and Third World
are conceptually the same. They both refer to conditions usually
found in developing countries. But the term Third World is the
antecedent of Global South (Claudio, 2014). Arguably, the term
Third World ceased to exist when the Cold War ended. Historically,
the world was once categorized based on the economic ideology
of Western capitalism against the Soviet Union’s socialism.

As formal economies, capitalism sustains consumer choice,
private property, and economic freedom while socialism is
characterized by state control of the means of production,
distribution, and exchange. Capitalist economies were
considered First World and socialist economies were referred to
as Second World.
Those that did not belong to either types of formal economies
belong to the Third World. The term Third World was initially
used to refer to the former colonies of European countries. To
Illustrate, India was considered a Third World country for it was
a colony of the United Kingdom. According to this
categorization, the Philippines was classified as Third World.
Later, the category was used to refer to countries that were
neither capitalists nor socialist.

Since many countries were impoverished, the term was also
used to refer to the poor world. These countries were considered
to be non-industrialized and newly industrialized. They lacked
the standard systems in banking, finance, and trade.

Hence, it is outdated to say that countries in Southeast Asia
belong to the Third World for the term has ended its usage after
the Cold War. These countries may be classified as the Global
South though some of their citizens experience the Global North
within their territories

“
Thank You

The Global Divides: The North and South

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Global Divides: The North and South

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE GLOBAL

At the end of this section, you are expected to:

 Explain the term Global South; and

 Differentiate the Global South from the Third

➢ Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Europe, Australia and

vacations in the Philippines are temporary because they would need to

go back to work in order to continue making a living in another country.

experienced by the Filipinos.

Historically, there had been divisions and labeling among the

There is also a split based on labor,

South is also found in developed countries. Economically poor

families, underprivileged individuals, unfair labor practices, and

suppression of human rights, and other violations of basic rights

in Europe, Australia, US, and Canada are the pieces of evidence

that people from developed countries also share similar

experiences with people from developing countries.

are conceptually the same. They both refer to conditions usually

found in developing countries. But the term Third World is the

antecedent of Global South (Claudio, 2014). Arguably, the term

the world was once categorized based on the economic ideology

of Western capitalism against the Soviet Union’s socialism.

private property, and economic freedom while socialism is

characterized by state control of the means of production,

distribution, and exchange. Capitalist economies were

considered First World and socialist economies were referred to

used to refer to the former colonies of European countries. To

Illustrate, India was considered a Third World country for it was

a colony of the United Kingdom. According to this

categorization, the Philippines was classified as Third World.

Later, the category was used to refer to countries that were

neither capitalists nor socialist.

used to refer to the poor world. These countries were considered

to be non-industrialized and newly industrialized. They lacked

the standard systems in banking, finance, and trade.

the Cold War. These countries may be classified as the Global

South though some of their citizens experience the Global North

within their territories

You might also like