Frederick Noronha (FN) on Fri, 12 May 2006 22:17:24 +0200 (CEST)


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<nettime> Re: There is no third world, ergo no 3rd world city/cities


Hallo! But the bulk of the citizens of the Third World are still poor,
dispossed, deprived of their share of resources. Much like the tiers
etat in France, of another era (where the term comes from anyway).

I think it's apologists of the First World who tend to get most upset
about usage of the term 'Third World'.

The term 'developing countries' is certainly problematic. Are the other
(affluent, Western, First World) countries not 'developing'? Is it a
given that the entire world needs to hanker for the unattainable,
environmentally-unsustainable standards of the West? Is the gap between
the West and the rest actually narrowing? What is 'development' really?
Should we all have to long desperately for Western lifestyles, and can
the planet sustain it?

All in all, the concept of Third World is a powerful one that creates
solidarity across a large section of the planet, many differences
notwithstanding. It really needs support from all progressive people,
and those concerned about where the planet is headed. FN




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