SOCIAL STUDIES 11
CHAPTER 14 COUNTERPOINTS - LIVING STANDARDS
NOTE; THIS CHAPTER IS ONE OF THE THREE AREAS WHERE THE ESSAY QUESTION
FOR THE FINAL COULD OCCUR. IT MAY NOT BE IN A DIRECT QUESTION BUT
PERHAPS THROUGH DATA PRESENTED AND AN OPINION SOUGHT. KNOW ABOUT
LIVING STANDARDS
 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: A U.N. RATING THAT RANKS IT’S
MEMBERS ACCORDING TO THREE CRITERIA:
 ADULT LITERACY: PEOPLE WHO CAN READ
 LIFE EXPECTANCY: THIS ONE IS OBVIOUS
 PER CAPITA GDP; (GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT) THIS IS
THE TOTAL VALUE OF GOODS AND SERVICES PRODUCED
DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY
 CANADA IS RANKED #1 IN THE WORLD AT PRESENT
AND VANCOUVER THE #1 CITY IN THE WORLD
 THE HDI GIVES A CRUDE INDICATION OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
 THE 200 RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HAVE A GREATER
WEALTH THAN 41% OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION

QUESTION; EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: IF THE
TOP 200 GAVE 10% OF THEIR WEALTH TO HELP DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES WOULD IT MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION.
 HAVE COUNTRIES – THOSE THAT HAVE WEALTH, HEALTH AND
SOCIAL SERVICES THAT PROVIDE FOR THEIR CITIZENS
 HAVE NOT COUNTRIES - ?
THE DIVIDED PLANET
 INFRASTRUCTURE – DETERMINED WHETHER A COUNTRY WAS
DEVELOPED
OR
DEVELOPING
ACCORDING
TO
TRUMAN;
TRANSPORTATION,
COMMUNICATIONS,
ELECTRIC
POWER
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS, SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS
 DEVELOPED COUNTRIES = FIRST WORLD COUNTRIES
 NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES = SECOND WORLD
 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES =THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES
 COUNTRIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE
USUALLY HEAVILY IN DEBT – HIGHLY INDEBTED POOR COUNTRIES
COMPARING LIVING STANDARDS
 HARD TO DETERMINE AND COMPARE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN
COUNTRIES AS ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS ARE NOT ALWAYS
ACCURATE – ESPECIALLY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
 BARTER AND TRADE OF GOODS WITHOUT MONEY IS ONE EXAMPLE
OF UNRECORDED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY – VERNON FARMERS
MARKET
 IF AN INDIVIDUAL HAS THE BULK OF THE MONEY IN A COUNTRY,
AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LITTLE MONEY, THEN IT
DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE AVERAGE STANDARD OF
LIVING
 LIVING STANDARDS ARE ALSO MEASURED IN OTHER WAYS:
 HEALTH STANDARDS
 LEVELS OF NUTRITION
 LIFE EXPECTANCY
 LITERACY
 STATUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN (CANADA IS NOT AT
THE TOP IN THESE CATEGORIES)
 THE POOR IN CANADA DO HAVE ACCESS TO CERTAIN SERVICES
SUCH AS HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION ETC – PROVIDED BY THE
GOVERNMENT SAFETY NET WHICH IS NOT AVAILABLE IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
 THE POOR IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY LIVE IN DWELLINGS MADE
OF SCRAP MATERIAL, NO ELECTRICITY, SANITATION AND FRESH
WATER
MEASURING POVERTY
 WORLD BANK – AN INTERNATIONAL LENDING AGENCY – MEASURES
POVERTY AT EARNING LESS THAN ONE DOLLAR PER DAY IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES – IS THIS A FAIR MEASUREMENT?
 1.3 BILLION PEOPLE ARE BELOW THIS MEASUREMENT AND EVEN
MORE IF YOU WENT TO BELOW FIVE DOLLARS
 BETTER TO LOOK AT EACH COUNTRY INDIVIDUALLY – WHERE ARE
THE STANDARDS SET FOR BASIC LIVING IN EACH COUNTRY
STUDIED
 IN CANADA BEING IN POVERTY MEANS SPENDING MORE THAN 56%
OF TOTAL FAMILY INCOME ON BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE – IN
1998 17.2% OR 5.1 MILLION LIVED IN POVERTY
 QUALITY OF LIFE IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT AS WELL: FREEDOM
OF EXPRESSION, ECONOMIC FREEDOM, RIGHT TO A SAFE AND
CLEAN ENVIRONMENT (SECURITY OF THE PERSON)
THE POVERTY TRAP
 ESTIMATES OF 800 MILLION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE
STARVING OR MALNOURISHED
 ENOUGH FOOD FOR THE WORLD IS BEING PRODUCED BUT THE
POOR CANNOT AFFORD TO BUT IT
 NON OWNERSHIP OF LAND IS A CRUCIAL FACTOR
THE BURDEN OF DEBT
 TWO ORGANIZATIONS – WORLD BANK AND INTERNATIONAL
MONETARY FUND (IMF) SET UP BY U.N. AFTER WWII
 FUNCTION WAS TO PROVIDE LOANS AND DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES THAT WERE TRYING TO IMPROVE
THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING THROUGH ECONOMIC GROWTH
 THE WB AND IMF ENCOURAGED DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES OF MEGAPRPOJECTS THAT WOULD STIMULATE THE
ECONOMY – USUALLY CAUSED ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AND
EVEN MADE THE ECONOMY WORSE OVERALL
 IN THE 1960S AFRICAN NATIONS WHICH HAD NATURAL
RESOURCES DESIRED BY THE OTHER NATIONS. THESE COUNTRIES
WERE LOANED HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY BY WESTERN BANKS
(LIKE ROYAL, BMO, BNS, TD) BUT AS THE PRICES DROPPED FOR THE
NATURAL RESOURCE COMMODITIES THE ABILITY TO REPAY THE
DEBT DIFFICULT
 THE WESTERN BANKS WANTED THE IMF AND WB TO HELP THESE
COUNTRIES PAY OFF THEIR DEBTS TO THEM – WHICH THEY DID
BUT THE DEBT REMAINED
 DEBTOR COUNTRIES (THOSE WHO OWED) WERE TOLD TO
RESTRUCTURE THEIR ECONOMIES TO ENSURE REPAYMENT
 THIS RESTRUCTURING WAS CALLED STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT
PROGRAMS (SAPs). IN SOME AFRICAN NATIONS THIS CAUSED
RIOTS AS COSTS OF PRODUCTION WERE HIGHER THAN PRICES
ACHIEVED
 MANY COMPANIES IN THESE NATIONS WERE CONTROLLED BY
MULTI-NATIONAL COMPANIES WHO CONTROL THE SUPPLY OF
CERTAIN PRODUCTS – GHANA AND COCOA FARMERS – VERY LITTLE
RETURN TO THE FARMERS SO DEBT REPAYMENT IS DIFFICULT
 GOVERNMENTS IN DEBT CANNOT PAY FOR SERVICES THAT COULD
IMPROVE THE STANDARDS OF LIVING IN THEIR COUNTRIES
THE VULNERABLE ONES
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
WOMEN
 MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE VERY MALE DOMINATED AND
THEREFORE WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE ALMOST CONSIDERED
SECOND CLASS IN THEIR OWN SOCIETY – SOME HAVE NO LEGAL
RIGHTS OR TREATED AS “PROPERTY” OF THE MALE AND BE DEALT
WITH AS SEEN FIT – EAT LEFTOVERS LEADING TO MALNUTRITION
 WOMEN WORK LONGER HOURS AT LOWER WAGES – MUST SUPPORT
OWN AND EXTENDED FAMILY AS MEN AWAY TRYING TO FIND
WORK
 LOWER LITERACY RATES THAN MEN; LOWER PERCENTAGE ARE
EDUCATED (MALE LUXURY) – 1/3 GIRLS IN RURAL INDIA GO TO
SCHOOL COMPARED TO 1/2 BOYS
 GIRLS ARE KEPT AT HOME AND TAUGHT HOW TO BE A WIFE AND
LOOK AFTER YOUNGER CHILDREN AND CHORES – ARRANGED
MARRIAGES AT A VERY YOUNG AGE
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BIRTH RATES ARE LINKED – IF A
WOMAN HAS FEWER CHILDREN SHE HAS MORE TIME TO BETTER
HERSELF AND HER CHILDREN – BETTER EDUCATED WOMEN HAVE
FEWER CHILDREN – MARRY LATER – UNEDUCATED (ONLY
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL) HAVE 7 CHILDREN – WITH SECONDARY
SCHOOL 3
 THE CHILDREN OF EDUCATED WOMEN HAVE A BETTER RATE OF
SURVIVAL DUE TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NUTRITION,
CLEAN WATER, IMMUNIZATION
WOMEN OF NIGER – PAGE 352-3
CHILDREN
 OFTEN THE FIRST VICTIMS OF UNDERDEVELOPMENT
 FAMINE
 DISEASE
 WAR
 FIRST 5 YEARS ARE CRITICAL BUT WITH LIMITED EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITY THEY ARE USUALLY EXPLOITED AS CHILD
LABOURERS – EVEN AS SEX TRADE WORKERS – THAILAND AS AN
EXAMPLE
 UNICEF – UN BASED FOUNDATION ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN
AROUND THE WORLD
 PROGRESS OF NATIONS REPORT – CHILD RISK INDEX
 5 FACTORS LOOKED AT:
 MORTALITY RATE OF CHILDREN <5
 % OF CHILDREN SEV/MOD UNDERWEIGHT
 # WHO DO NOT ATTEND PRIMARY
SCHOOL
 RISK FROM ARMED CONFLICT
 RISKS FROM HIV/AIDS
 AFRICA IS A CONTINENT IN TROUBLE (CHART P.353) CDN <5
UNDER 5 MORTALITY RATE
CHILDREN AT WAR
WORKING CHILDREN
HEALTH CRISIS
CLEAN WATER
 1.2 BILLION LACK SAFE DRINKING WATER – 2.3 BILLION BY 2025
 CONTAMINATION FROM WASHING AND SEWER DISPOSAL;
IRRIGATION TAKES MASSIVE OF WATER FOR FOOD PRODUCTION
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
 MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAVE DRY SEASONS WHERE NO
WATER FALLS AND ACCUMULATES LEADING TO MALNUTRITION
AND DISEASE; EXTREME RAINS FLOODS LAND AND WASHES ANY
GOOD SOIL AWAY, LEAVING POOLS OF BRACKISH WATER
 W.H.O. ESTAIMATES 80% OF WORLD’S DISEASES ARE CAUSED BY
CONTAMINATED WATER:
 CHOLERA
 TYPHOID
 MALARIA
 LEPROSY
 BILHARZIA
 IN THE OKANAGAN WE GET CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND
GIARDIA FROM CONTAMINATED WATER OCCASIONALLY
 ONTARIO BREAKOUT OF e-coli IN WALKERTON IN MAY 2000 –
KILLING SEVERAL PEOPLE
EPIDEMICS
 SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES, TB, HIV/AIDS, MALARIA –
THESE THREATEN WORLD HEALTH, INCLUDING CANADIANS
 TB AND MALARIA CAUSES OVER 5 MILLION DEATHS PER YEAR AND
400 MILLION CASES WHICH CAUSES SUFFERING AND LOSS OF
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC
 PANDEMIC – AN EPIDEMIC THAT COVERS A LARGE GEOGRAPHICAL
AREA – EVEN A GLOBAL SITUATION
 VIRUS PASSES FROM PERSON TO PERSON – SEXUALLY,
BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, SHARING NEEDLES, THROUGH
BIRTH
 NO CURE – DEATH IS CERTAIN!!!
 IN 2000 – 35 MILLION HAD AIDS – 16000 NEW EVERY
DAY, 7000 DIE; OF THE 14 MILLION WHO HAVE DIED – 11
MILLION WERE FROM AFRICA, 1/4 WERE CHILDREN
 THIS KIND OF PANDEMIC LOWERS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY RATE
AND LOWERS THE STANDARD OF LIVING – LESS PEOPLE IN THE
WORKING AGE GROUP TO SUPPORT THE LARGE DEPENDENT
POPULATION
SOLUTIONS TO THE STANDARD
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
OF
LIVING
QUESTION
IN
 ECONOMIC AID SINCE WWII HAS HAD A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD –
ONE, TO PROVIDE AID WHERE NEEDED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INSTABILITY AND TWO, STOP THE
GROWTH OF COMMUNISM THROUGH ECONOMIC PRESSURE
 MONEY IS A POLITICAL TOOL!!!!
 MILITARY SPENDING STILL DWARFS AID TO THIRD WORLD
COUNTRIES
 SHOULD THIS BE THE CASE OR SHOULD HELPING THIRD
WORLD COUNTRIES BE A PRIME MOTIVATOR FOR THIRD
WORLD COUNTRIES?





6 BILLION – BASIC EDUCATION
9 BILLION – WATER AND SANITATION
12 BILLION – REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FOR WOMEN
13 BILLION – BASIC HEALTH AND NUTRITION
TOTAL 40 BILLION DOLLARS – BILL GATES IS WORTH 45
BILLION
FOREIGN AID
 MULTILATERAL AID – A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTS IN BIG SCALE
PROJECTS
 BILATERAL AID – TIED TO CONDITIONS – THAT PURCHASES FOR
PROJECTS ARE FROM THE COUNTRY OF AID – HEAVILY CRITICIZED
 CIDA – CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY –
CANADA’S AGENCY THAT OVERSEES ECONOMIC AID TO THIRD
WORLD COUNTRIES – 100 POOREST COUNTRIES
 20% ON AID FOR BASIC NEEDS - HELPING PEOPLE HELP
THEMSELVES
 NGO’s HELP OUT AT THE “GRASSROOTS” LEVEL – RED CROSS,
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS, MMI
 OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS CANADA’S CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE
DECREASED – 1984 GOV’T PLEDGED TO HIT U.N. TARGET OF .7% OF
GDP – 1998 - .27% LOWEST IN THIRTY YEARS