Global Inequality

absolute poverty the state where one is barely able, or unable, to afford basic necessities

anti-globalization movement a global counter-movement based on principles of environmental sustainability, food sovereignty, labour rights, and democratic accountability that challenges the corporate model of globalization

capital flight the movement (flight) of capital from one nation to another, via jobs and resources

chattel slavery a form of slavery in which one person owns another

core nations dominant capitalist countries

debt accumulation the buildup of external debt, wherein countries borrow money from other nations to fund their expansion or growth goals

debt bondage when people pledge themselves as servants in exchange for money for passage, and are subsequently paid too little to regain their freedom

deindustrialization the loss of industrial production, usually to peripheral and semi-peripheral nations where the costs are lower

dependency theory theory stating that global inequity is due to the exploitation of peripheral and semi-peripheral nations by core nations

first world a term from the Cold War era that is used to describe industrialized capitalist democracies

fourth world a term that describes stigmatized minority groups who have no voice or representation on the world stage

global feminization a pattern that occurs when women bear a disproportionate percentage of the burden of poverty

global inequality the concentration of resources in core nations and in the hands of a wealthy minority

global stratification the unequal distribution of resources between countries

gross national income (GNI) the income of a nation calculated based on goods and services produced, plus income earned by citizens and corporations headquartered in that country

metropolis-hinterland relationship the relationship between nations when resources of the hinterlands are shipped to the metropolises where they are converted into manufactured goods and shipped back to the hinterlands for consumption

modernization theory a theory that low-income countries can improve their global economic standing by industrialization of infrastructure and a shift in cultural attitudes toward work

peripheral nations nations on the fringes of the global economy, dominated by core nations, with very little industrialization

relative poverty the state of poverty where one is unable to live the lifestyle of the average person in the country

second world a term from the Cold War era that describes nations with moderate economies and standards of living

semi-peripheral nations in-between nations, not powerful enough to dictate policy but acting as a major source of raw materials and providing an expanding middle-class marketplace

subjective poverty a state of poverty subjectively present when one's actual income does not meet one's expectations

third world a term from the Cold War era that refers to poor, nonindustrialized countries

underground economy an unregulated economy of labour and goods that operates outside of governance, regulatory systems, or human protections