Can anyone explain what qualifies a country to be a 3rd world country? Is there such thing as 2nd/1st world?

Question

My neice asked me the difference and I guessed that the great 8 industrialized nations were first world, all unindustrialized nations were 3rd world and everywhere else is 2nd world. Is that correct?

Answer 1

These labels are relative. Countries with the most progress in science and technology are considered 1st world. These affect quality of life and longevity. Per capita income is also taken into account. How much is the average annual income of each worker? And don't forget the umemployment rate. A country that claims to be 1st world would have some explaining to do if it has 20% or higher umemployment rate.

Answer 2

MaxxP has the closest correct answer. These are terms used in politics/ poilitical economy and in Social studies. There are terms which are out of date considering more recent developments politically and economically thrtoughout the world.

The "First World" nations are the Industrial Western nations.

"Second World" are those 'Soviet Bloc' nations that are industrialized.

"Third World' are the poor underdeveloped nations of the world.

Many of the Soviet Bloc nations are now considered "First World" nations in the present climate.

Many of the Developed countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc that used to be called "Third World" could really be called "First World".

Answer 3

The First World is the industrialized nations.

The Second World was the USSR and the countries who were aligned with them.

The Third World was all of the other countries. These countries are usually marred by poverty and other challenges. Because of this some people chafe at the classification.

But they are merely classifications; I do not believe they were intended to be anything else.

It is a bit dated with the fall of the Soviet Union.

Answer 4

The term "First World" refers to so called developed, capitalist, industrial countries, roughly, a bloc of countries aligned with the United States after word war II, with more or less common political and economic interests: North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia.

"Second World" refers to the former communist-socialist, industrial states, (formerly the Eastern bloc, the territory and sphere of influence of the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic) today: Russia, Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland) and some of the Turk States (e.g., Kazakhstan) as well as China.

"Third World" are all the other countries, today often used to roughly describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The term Third World includes as well capitalist (e.g., Venezuela) and communist (e.g., North Korea) countries as very rich (e.g., Saudi Arabia) and very poor (e.g., Mali) countries.

The term "Fourth World" first came into use in 1974 with the publication of Shuswap Chief George Manuel's: The fourth world : an Indian reality (amazon link to the book), the term refers to nations (cultural entities, ethnic groups) of indigenous peoples living within or across state boundaries (nation states).

Answer 5

That depends on whether you're basing this off of an American or Maoist definition.
American
1st world= America and it's allies.
2nd world= Soviet Union and it's allies.
3rd world= everyone else

Maoist
1st world= America and the Soviet Union
2nd world= Industrialized nations (U.K, France, Canada)
3rd world= Undeveloped nations.

Answer 6

I would say so. That's what I would have told her too i guess.. I mean, 3rd world countries are still developing.. and have a long way to go.. 1st world would be the US, England, France etc.. and other countries are in the middle...

Answer 7

I'm no expert but you should check into the term, "Developing Country".