"The third world on the spotlight": Dependence or Interdependence?

Le 25 avril 2011 par IvoireBusiness - In this world of competition and globalization, in a sense, the countries of the third world are

the most international of all! Many have vulnerable economies heavily dependent on the export of one commodity: For example, cacao accounts for (80 per cent) of the ivorian exports, largest producer worldwide. Others are indebted to international banks. For instance, over half of the ivorian's exports earnings should go on paying off the interest of its massive foreign debt: It's the conspicuous new economic enslavement of the post african countries as a whole! Right now, in the current ivorian turmoil, western reports confirm that "France" has just given (400 millions euros) to the Ivory Coast as an economic aid from the french right wing government under the rule of president "Sarkozy". But the question is how much will the ivorian government have to pay off in the years to come as debts interest? Unquestionably, a new economic slavery days ahead for the french african countries such as "Ivory Coast"...Still others, particularly among the poorest, not the third world but the fourth world can barely survive without support from international bodies and the so called charities. Consequently, the dignity and self determination of the third world are as stake! Meanwhile, none have even the modest insulation from the world economy provided by the large diversified domestic markets of the United states of America, the european community and Asia. So even more than in the first and second world, politics in the third world must be placed in an international context. And here the big question is, why does underdevelopment persist? Two main theories exist side by side. On the other hand, the liberal theory argues that opening up the economies of the third world to free trade and international competition is the only way forward. This theory is severely critical of the way many ruling politicians in the third world have distorted the operation of the market in their countries. Moreover, the liberal theory is popular among western capitalist governments in the first world, and the intergovernmental bodies they dominate! Business still remains business today...Often simplistic, it nonetheless offers one way forward for the third world. On the other hand, the dependency theory suggests that the whole international economy operates to the disavantage of the third world. What appears as interdependence in Japan, China, can be seen as dependence in Indonesia and South Korea! The escape from poverty and misery promised by liberal advocates of economic integration is a cruel illusion! Like an addictive drug, the escape route turns into a prison of its own. According to dependency theory, the only alternative is to change the nature of the relationship between the first and third world. This relationship ought to be transformed into a win win partnership in the years to come. In the same trend, the third word needs strong leaders and solid institutions. Popular is the third world, indeed developed largely in Latin America this account offers a sharp analysis but unclear solutions to the issue of underdevelopment. Finally, the third world countries have got the right to decide their own destiny by building gradually industrialized countries. China is indeed a conspicuous example worldwide! Our way to become industrialized is so long, but the road is still foggy! But where there is a will, there is also a way...

Yves T Bouazo