Does the term "third world country" make you angry? I think this term is very racist
by 
Bartman
ANSWERS: 13
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Why?
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I lived in a supposed third world country(South Africa. I do not find it racist, I just find it funny that in many instances now that i am back in Britain I realise they are behind South Africa in terms of health care, banking etc.
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What's so racist about it?
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I think the PC term is "developing nation" but yah, "third world country" does have pejorative connotations...
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Doesn't it refer to the economic conditions in the country--not the race? Sorry, don't see a connection.
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If the shoe fits wear it. Third World is a term originally used to distinguish those nations that neither aligned with the West nor with the East during the Cold War. These countries are also known as the Global South, developing countries, and least developed countries in academic circles. Development workers also call them the two-thirds world and The South. Some dislike the term developing countries as it implies that industrialisation is the only way forward, while they believe it is not necessarily the most beneficial. Many "third world" countries are located in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. They are often nations that were colonized by another nation in the past. The populations of third world countries are generally very poor but with high birth rates. In general they are not as industrialized or technologically advanced as the first world. The majority of the countries in the world fit this classification. The term "third world" was coined by economist Alfred Sauvy in an article in the French magazine L'Observateur of August 14, 1952.
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No. I don't feel it's racist at all. Third world is synonymous with developing, not a specific race.
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How is it racist? It describes industrialization, nothing more.
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If we labeled ALL outdated terms as racist and changing them (I read the comment threads) we would be bloody busy chasing our tails. Then, once we decided upon a replacement via PC-dom, THAT would eventually become antiquated and racist. Oy my aching haid. I think that some terms, like the 'n' word, are so badly laden with prejudice that they should be discarded but this thing could hit the silly zone quickly.
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The term "third world county" refers to the economy. The superpowers rank first. Then the other strong economies that are not superpowers, many of them European countries and some economically strong countries from Asia. Third world used to refer to developing economies that relied heavily on the aid of the superpowers or other stronger economies. Today the distinction between superpowers and strong economies is starting to blur, and many countries that used to be perceived as third world economies are performing very strong economically. So the rules that were develop during the times of the cold war are starting to disappear, or deteriorate, for lack of a better word. So if we think as "third world" as people of a lower class, than we are being biased or perhaps in a sense racists; but if we think of "third world" as economies that rely on aid from the friendly stronger economies, than the bias or racist concept does not really apply in my perception.
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It's out of date, yes, but at no point in time did it ever denote inferiority. They mostly stick with "developing nations" now, but I don't find first/second/third/forth world to be offensive
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"Third world country" has no racial connotation, only economic connotation. So it really doesn't offend me.
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Has anyone ever seen the second world??? must be around here somewhere
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