The North and South: A Socioeconomic and Political Divide

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THE NORTH AND SOUTH
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Introduction
The North-South divide or precisely the rich-poor nation divide refers to a socio-
economic and political division that exists amid the developed countries (North) and the
developing countries (popularly known as the south). This is called the politics of developed and
the underdeveloped countries and it is the centerpiece for the new International Economic Order.
Almost all developed countries are located in the Northern Hemisphere except Australia and
New Zealand. Both the South and North countries reveal disparities in their economic status. The
South is represented as a place of deprivation, poverty, lack of infrastructure and poor quality of
life. The North is on the other hand presented as a land of plenty and affluence.
Background of North-South Divide
This concept of divide came up when some parts of Africa were caught up in the web of
International commerce. Some European countries defined the roles that the African economies
would play while the African economies formed an extended market for the European countries.
Africa, Asia, and America to a large extent depended on what the Europeans decided to sell.
With time, the Europeans became an industrialized workshop for the entire universe.1 The latter
came to be known as the industrial revolution of Europe of the 18th Century. This
industrialization brought Europe industrialization and improved technology. The revolution
happened when civilization in Africa, Asia, and Latin America did not have industrialized
economies. By the use of the improved technology, European countries manufactured navigation
1 Esoso , Nsed Ebaye . "THE POLITICS OF THE NORTH-SOUTH ECONOMIC DIVIDE & THE 21ST
CENTURY 3RD WORLD ECONOMIES." North American Open Politics and International Relation
Research Journal 10, no. 1 (2016): 1-10.

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aid weapons that would be used to overpower the unarmed and premature South.2 The
integration of the South into unequal and international exchange relations took several shapes.
The stages of subjection in Africa went on for several periods of time and the subjugation was
done through the imperialism to trade.
Issues between North-South Divide
The North-South economic divide presents a picture of a wide range of technological and
economic development between the industrialized and the non-industrialized countries.3 This gap
has not been static since most of the countries that were termed to belong to the south as India,
China and Brazil migrated to the North Group.
The absence of development capital together with government instabilities are the
primary factors that weaken the capacity of the south to participate in global economic relations.
While the south seeks to expand the external development capital, foreign direct investment, and
foreign aid, they all bargain for a position of weakness. The latter finally results in persistent
crises of underdevelopment and development. The south is by a large extent threatened by the
impending marginalization in globalization which in most cases is driven by the high tech race in
the market activities. The south has been demanding its share of wealth from the north making
the reference from the lop-sided nature of the world economy.3 The south generally demands the
policies and aid in the favor of the transfer of resources to the south and other factors that will
2 Imrana , Iqbal, and Pierson Charles . "Sustainable Development Law & Policy." A North-South
Struggle: Political and Economic Obstacles to Sustainable Development 16, no. 4 (2018): 1-19.
3 John , Whalley , and Walsh Sean . "Bridging the North-South Divide on Climate Post
Copenhagen." Policy Brief 17, no. 1 (2016): 1-10.