Why should we worry about the rapid rate of global population increase? How do city and rural living differ? How is the condition of the natural environment

Why should we worry about the rapid rate of global population increase?

How do city and rural living differ?

How is the condition of the natural environment a social issue?

Society: The Basics, 10th Edition by John Macionis

Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. All rights reserved.

What portion of the world’s people live in absolute poverty?

Why are some countries so rich and others so poor?

Are rich nations making global poverty better or worse? How?



Global perspectiveSocial stratification (inequality) is far

greater than in the U.S.People in U.S. with income below the

poverty line live far better than the majority of the people on the planet



A Word About TerminologyVarious models of classification“Three Worlds” Model

“First World” – rich, industrial countries“Second World”-less industrialized, socialist“Third World”-non-industrialized, poor countries

Two reasons model does not work todayThe Cold War ended

Changes in Eastern Europe and Society Union collapse means there is no distinctive Second World

Model inaccurately lumped together more than 100 countries as Third World



Revised system of classificationHigh-income countries

The 64 richest nations with the highest overall standards of living

Middle-income CountriesThe 73 nations with a standard of living about

average for the world as a wholeLow-income Countries

The remaining 57 nations with a low standard of living in which most people are poor

Two advantages over “three worlds” modelFocuses on economic development and does not

lump together all lower-income nations



High-Income Countries• First to develop during industrial revolution

two centuries ago• Enjoy over half the world’s income• More income means control of world’s

financial markets.• Control of financial markets means control

of other countries.• Examples: United States, Western Europe,

Japan, Australia, Canada, etc.

Sociology, 12th Edition by John MacionisCopyright 2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

High-Income CountriesSignificant cultural differences existAll produce enough economic goods to enable

people to lead comfortable livesPeople enjoy 84% of the world’s total incomeProduction is “capital intensive”

Based on factories, big machinery, and advanced technology



Middle-Income CountriesLimited industrializationMany people are rural and engage in

agricultural activities.A general lack of good education,

medical care, and safe waterExamples: Russia, Eastern European

countries, Latin America, and some African countries


Low-Income CountriesMostly poor, rural economiesAgrarian, with some industryLife expectancy is very short.Examples: Africa, and much of

Asia


Low-income nations are home to some rich and many poor

Most people live with incomes of a few hundred dollars a year

Burden of poverty in low-income countries is greater than among the U.S. poor



The Severity of PovertyReason quality of life differs so much around the

worldEconomic productivity is lowest in regions where

population growth is the highest



Relative Versus Absolute Poverty

People in rich nations focus on relative povertySome people lack resources that are taken for

granted by othersExists in every society; rich and poor

Absolute poverty is more important in the global perspectiveLife-threatening lack of resourcesLack the nutrition necessary for health and long-

term survival



Global indicator of absolute povertyMedian age of deathRich countries – most people die after 75Poor countries

Half of all deaths occur among children under age 10



The Extent of PovertyPoverty is more widespread in poor countriesAbsolute poverty is greatest in Africa

High child mortality Half the population is malnourished

Worldwide15% or 1 billion people suffer from chronic

hunger40,000 people per day die from hunger



Explanations of Global PovertyTechnology

One-quarter of the people in low-income countries use human or animal power to farm land.

Population growthPopulation for poor countries in Africa doubles

every 25 years. Cultural patterns

People resist innovations, accept slavery as a way of life.

Social stratificationLow-income countries distribute wealth very

unequally.Sociology, 12th Edition by John MacionisCopyright 2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Changing TerminologyOld terminology

First world–Industrial rich countriesSecond world–Less industrial socialist countriesThird world–Non-industrial poor countries- Less

developed countriesProblems with old terminology

After the Cold War, the second world no longer existed.

Third World is too economically diverse to be meaningful.


Changing TerminologyNew terminology

High-income–Nations with the highest standard of living

Middle-income–Somewhat poorer nations with economic development typical for the world as a whole

Low-income–Nations with lowest productivity and extensive poverty

LDC- Less Developed CountriesThe extent of global inequality is much greater

than these comparisons suggest. Well-off people in rich countries live “worlds apart” from the poorest people in low-income countries.


Third World nations still share a number of characteristics. All of them suffer from some aspects of political, economic, or social underdevelopment

Economic UnderdevelopmentAt the individual level, economic

underdevelopment connotes wide spread poverty, including unemployment, substandard housing, poor health conditions, inadequate nutrition.

There is a tremendous gap between First and Third World countries. Americans earn 4-5 times as much as a Brazilian and Brazilians can earn as much as 9-10 times as much as a Nigerian

Factors effect a country’s income distributionLevel of industrialization & economic

developmentHistorical pattern of land ownershipGovernment policies

Social UnderdevelopmentPoverty and poor public policy has often

affected social conditions, decreasing opportunities. One of the greatest challenges has been o improve the educational system

Increased education literacy increases political participation &government accountability

HDI’ s considered to be one of the best measurements of a nation's living standard

HDI include: literacy, life expectancy, infancy mortality, life expectancy & income

Political UnderdevelopmentLDC’s first priority should be political

stability- even if that initially might require military rule or an authoritarian government




Two major explanations:Modernization theoryDependency theory



Modernization Theory

Historical perspectiveCenturies ago, the entire world was poor.Exploration, trade, and the industrial revolution

transformed Western Europe then North America. Colonialism

Cultural perspectiveWeber: Protestant Reformation reshaped traditional

Catholicism.Individualism replaced the traditional emphasis on

family and community.Sociology, 12th Edition by John MacionisCopyright 2008 Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Model of economic development that explains global inequality in terms of technological and cultural differences between societies

Modernization theoryA model of economic and social development that

explains global inequality in terms of technological and cultural differences between nations

Structural-functional approachHistorical perspective

Theory proposes that it is affluence that demands explanation

Industrialization’s productivity improved the living standards of even the poorest people



Modernization TheoryDeveloping nations had to acquire modern

cultural values and create modern political and economic institutions

The Importance of CultureTradition as barrier to economic developmentTechnology opposed as a threat

Family relationships Customs Religious beliefs



The Role of Rich NationsControlling population

Exporting birth control and educating people on its importance

Increasing food productionThe use of new hybrid seeds, modern

irrigation methods, the use of chemicals and pesticides

Introducing industrial technologyMachinery and information must be shared if

shifts in economies are to happen.Providing foreign aid

Money can be used for equipment necessary for change.


Critical EvaluationModernization simply hasn’t happened in

many nations.Fails to recognize how rich nations benefit

from the status quo of poor nationsFails to see that international relations affect

all nationsEthnocentric: It holds up the richest nations as

the standard to judge other societiesBlames global poverty on the poor societies


Dependency Theory

Historical perspectivePeople living in poor countries were better off in the

past than they are now. Economic position of rich & poor are linked.

Importance of colonialism Europeans colonized much of the west, south & east.African slave trade is the most brutal form of human

exploitation.Neocolonialism is the “essence” of the modern

capitalistic world economy.


A model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of the historical exploitation of poor nations by rich ones.

Dependency TheoryThird World countries have to borrow

financial capital and purchase advanced technology from the developed world, thereby making them dependent on external economic forces beyond their control, weakening development

Dependency TheoryDependency Theory

A model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of the historical exploitation of poor nations by rich ones

Social-conflict approachHistorical Perspective

People living in poor countries are better off economically

Based on the idea that the economic positions of rich and poor nations are linked

Prosperity of developed countries come at the expense of less developed ones



Human community must address crucial questionsDistribution of resources

Within societies Around the globe

Though economic development raises living standards, it strains the natural environment



Gulf that separates world’s richest and poorestPuts everyone at risk of war and terrorismPoorest people challenge social arrangements

that threaten their existencePlanetary peace can be achieved

Ensure that all people enjoy significant dignity and security



Documents

Why should we worry about the rapid rate of global population increase? How do city and rural living differ? How is the condition of the natural environment