?Definition of a Third World Country?

[gavilan]

This thought/question has been triggered by Beni's recent post '10 Essential Foods from UK' and also the one about power cuts. It has often been said on A.com that Spain is like a Third World Country. And I have been wondering what it is that defines such a country? Having lived in London most of my adult life, I know living in el campo is much harder physical work (but I actually like that ... well, at present I do!). I have also just assumed power cuts and water shortages are el campo type experience and might happen in remote places in UK. Yes, the paperwork and bureaucracy confuse me but isn't that just because I am British and not used to this way of doing things? You could also mention corruption but I might respond I know about it because I live near a small village, know the mayor etc whereas in UK I was much more ditanced from such things. So I wonder how do you define a 'Third World Country?

[annfoto]

I often wonder how these poster's justify these kind of remarks.
To say that the Kingdom of Spain as third world is just pain daft. This is the Kingdom which discovered the Americas, brought back to Europe many before unknown plants like the potato and the tomato amongst many others. OK they plundered a huge amount of gold and built a vast empire just like the UK.
Like the rest of western Europe, Spain's current culture and history goes back many centuries.

[bob]

Most people use terms, phrases & words
with little or no understanding of what they actually mean,
where they originally came from or even what they refer to.

Interesting article:
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/t ... ntries.htm
but like most information, it’s just a place to start
which is usually where most people stop.

[olive]

I made a comment on the power cuts thread about Spain being a third world country under a thin veneer of 1st world. It was tongue in cheek.

However have had issues from a computer that gave up during one of our many power cuts and voltage fluctuations, I think it is fair to say that the attitudes of all those involved in power distribution seems to be "be grateful you have power". What is really irritating is the cavalier way that the power is just turned off without informing people (unless they frequent the local bar).

On the positive side the road infrastructure and High Speed trains are anything but 3rd world. You could fault many of the intersections which will create safety hazards as traffic levels creep up and up.

Health. From personal experience of A&E I cannot fault the system here. In nfact Britain could learn from the Spansih in terms of keeping you informed along the way.

Education. Can't comment.

Corruption. Plenty of hard evidence. The local well driller whoi drills three wells and one actually has permissions. VAT avoidance on an industrial scale. Black money.

No it isn't a 3rd world country but it has lots of room for improvement.

Plenty of 3rd world countries have culture, history and heritage. That doesn't make for a 1st world country.

[gavilan]

bob: fascinating article, thanks.
olive: you say 'it has lots of room for improvement' ... ?does that mean you would like Spain to resemble the UK in some ways, such as? I would add that I do not want to live in a replica of UK ... I moved here because it was different, eg less consumerist (at least where I live and at least for the time being)

[gavilan]

I have been sitting by the fire and thinking about that article bob indicated ... and thinking about the term 'developed' in terms of a country or people and their status. In the article, Greenland was referred to as a third World country and that reminded me of the book 'Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow' which in turn reminded me that the indigenous people of Greenland possessed far superior skills re navigation and tracking than the Danish and Americans there. I live now in an area where men used to go up into the high mountains in winter to collect snow, store it in sink-holes and then in early summer cut it into ice blocks and transport it by mule to the local villages and towns. There were many such skills local people had here eg burning/making cal/lime, collecting/weaving esparto, ... even today I look in admiration at the vegetables and fruit grown here in the huertas .... far superior to anything I manage to produce, both in quality and quantity! Some of my neighbours who are busy in those bancales can only just read and write ... ?who is to say I am more 'developed' than they are because literacy is not a problem for me (my essays excepted!) I think whenever we start to unpick/examine closely what terms, phrases, words, labels really mean it all starts to fall apart, becomes incredibly complicated ...

[katy]

Even Spaniards call Spain a third world country although that proves nothing. I used to get *beep* off with the broadband cutting out at the same time very day...took about 2 years to get that completely sorted. The electric, didn't cut off completely but the voltage coming into the house was so low that at times the oven was on but useless, likewise the microwave, turntable went around but nothing happened. I kid you not but if I swithched on the iron the TV cut out. The transformer was obselete and probaby 200 houses had been added to it. Acceptance of the situation by the Spaniards was totally frustrating. It was only when a Spnish lawyer moved in next door that the wheels, albiet slowly started to turn. Another thing is the lack of accountability by people in authority a real throwback to the days of Franco.

To sum it up, I can do third world, we lived in Africa but (I steal a Spaniards words here) Spain is a third world country in disguise...they are just pretending at being civilised. Third world with none of the charm and it has gone backwards since we first lived there.

[katy]

gavilan all the "skills" that you speak of are not confined to Spain, these things happened in all countries...in the past. Spain is now part of the global commercial world, it isn't even foreign anymore unless you go backwards.

[BENIDORM]

First of all I would normally take a statement such as 'Spain is a Third World Country' as a 'tongue in cheek' comment used to perhaps emphasise a particular gripe or irritating situation, and I agree with Bob that many people would not actually fully understand the true meaning of their comments.
However I don't think that really matters as most people would understand that the comment was actually used in anger or purely as a sweeping statement.
Obviously if you were say a 'political figurehead', then much more care should be taken as to how you made such a comment.
Now do I think of Spain as a 'Third World Country' ?
No, but I do think that in some areas it does lag behind many other countries, and really does need to get a move on if it wants to fit in with modern society.

Just my own thoughts and theories based on my own personal experiences..

Regards,
Gordon

[gavilan]

Let's turn this round the other way and remember all those things which irritated us about the UK and which we said we would be glad to leave behind. What does that list look like?

[quebin]

Come and have a look at our street that has been dug up for 9 months to lay pipewrk and yoy will see that a third world country looks good when compared to our Spanish street. Does any body know the Spanish word to convey the meaning of "cowboy builders"?

[bob]

“...and I agree with Bob that many people would not actually fully understand the true meaning of their comments.
However I don't think that really matters as most people would understand that the comment was actually used in anger or purely as a sweeping statement.”

Interesting contradiction of terms there, Beni.

[masterob]

gavilan wrote:
Let's turn this round the other way and remember all those things which irritated us about the UK and which we said we would be glad to leave behind. What does that list look like?

To be honest when we left the UK we really didn't even think about things we "would be glad to leave behind" except perhaps the weather! We now regret even thinking that when the endless days of summer heat are here! Like you we lived in London and here we live in the campo so, valid comparisons are difficult. I suppose it would be necessary to live in Madrid to make a meaningful comparison with London. Like others, the power cuts, the water being turned off with no warning etc, are real irritants. I wonder if those living in Madrid suffer power cuts and the like on a similar scale to here in the Andalucian campo? We certainly never had such problems in London but, I can vaguely recall as a child in the 1950s in rural Wales not even having electricity. When eventually it arrived in our village it was prone to black-outs. For me, living in 2011 in circumstances reminiscent of the 1950s does rather conjure up the phrase "third world" rightly or wrongly!

[knowal]

Green on this map:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... ds_map.svg
That's third world.
Spain is positively high tech.

[BENIDORM]

Bob quipped in his usual sarcastic manner....

''Interesting contradiction of terms there, Beni.''



Bob ..You need to get out more often.....

Regards,
Gordon...

[ScamBuster]

What about third rate, indolent, corrupt, ineffective Mediterranean sink hole. That's a better description.

[bob]

Sarcasm? Beni, Beni, Beni.
Merely bringing your attention to an error in your ways.
Thought you might want to know.
As for the sarcasm, suggest you look up the word.
As for getting out more -
you’re the one with the 2000 posts.

[Julie]

Blimey Bob, can't you just be nice instead

[gavilan]

1. I am sad that this has degenerated into denigrating one another
2. I dont think we have found a clear definition for Spain as a third world country.
3. We have identified a few aspects we would like to see changed/improved.
4. Hasta luego.

[bob]

Oh, but Gavilan, you do have your answers
and in all their microcosmic glory. However,
I will stay out of any further posting if it will
flush some wisdom out of the woods...