The Term 'Third World': Origins, Usage, and Alternatives

Introduction

Former President Donald Trump recently utilized the term "Third World Countries" in a Truth Social post regarding immigration. In his statement, Trump indicated an intent to "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover." The term "Third World" is frequently employed to characterize nations described as having low resources, widespread poverty, and weak healthcare and education systems.

Origin and Evolution of "Third World"

The classification of the world into three domains originated in the 1950s during the early stages of the Cold War. French demographer Alfred Sauvy introduced the term "Third World" in his 1952 article "Three Worlds, One Planet," published in L'Observateur.

This classification delineated:

• First World: Comprising the United States, Western Europe, and their allies.
• Second World: Encompassing the communist bloc, including the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba.
• Third World: Consisting of nations that did not align with either the Western or Soviet camps, many of which were former colonies.

Historically, the term "Third World" developed a connotation synonymous with "impoverished" over time. Historian B.R. Tomlinson noted in 2003 that the phrase's analytical clarity was debated, often serving as a vague label for a collection of states facing common issues.

Current Perspectives on the Term

In the 21st century, the continued use of "Third World" is debated by scholars and citizens from nations previously categorized as such. Arguments against the term suggest it is outdated, given the dissolution of the Soviet Union (the "Second World").

Ngozi Erondu, a senior scholar at the O'Neill Institute at Georgetown University, stated that the term "Third World" implies superiority and inferiority, assuming different values for people outside the "First World." Erondu concluded that the term is "antiquated and offensive."

Alternative Classifications

"Developing Countries"

This term is widely used, including by The Associated Press Stylebook, which advises its use as a more appropriate alternative to "Third World" for economically developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Dipa Sinha, an economist in New Delhi, noted that some countries still fit the "developing" category.

However, some individuals, such as South African social psychologist Shose Kessi, express dissatisfaction with "developing world," stating it assumes a hierarchy and perpetuates stereotypes. Mead Over, a senior fellow emeritus at the Center for Global Development, observed that "developing countries" often exhibit strong social networks.

Geographic Labels (e.g., "Global South")

"Global South" refers to the majority of nations often categorized as less wealthy, primarily located in the Southern Hemisphere. Critiques include the presence of impoverished nations in the Northern Hemisphere (e.g., Haiti) and wealthy nations in the Southern Hemisphere (e.g., Australia, New Zealand).

Income-Based Classifications

The World Health Organization (WHO) uses "low- and lower-middle-income countries" (LMIC), sometimes split into LICs and MICs. This categorization is based on World Bank statistics that classify countries by gross domestic product (GDP) into low, lower-middle, middle, and high-income groups. These statistics indicate that half of humanity lives on $2.50 or less per day.

However, income levels do not fully capture internal economic disparities, such as wealthy populations within lower-income countries.

Other Proposed Terms

The late Dr. Paul Farmer used "Fourth World" to describe pockets of deep poverty and inadequate healthcare within affluent nations. "Majority World" is another term used to highlight the demographic proportion of people in countries traditionally classified as "Third World" or "developing."

Suggestions include "emerging economies" for countries with growth potential and infrastructure gaps, or descriptions focusing on specific conditions like "countries facing historic underinvestment in primary health care." Elsa D'Silva from Mumbai, India, advocates for specificity over broad labels. India is classified by the World Bank as "lower-middle income."