World is poor - new Wiki map

[Winner]

I've been looking for some maps recently and I found this one, it shows GDP per capita in the world.
I was surprised how poor the world is on average. Except North America, much of Europe, Australia+NZ,
Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, few Persian Gulf countries and Israel, the rest of the world is
considerably less developed. Despite all that talk about improving global economy in the last decades,
the gap between developed and developing countries seem to be the same,
with the notable exception of the transitional countries in post-communist Central Europe.

How do you think similar map will look like in 2017, 2027 and so on?
Do you think we'll see more green on the map, or the relative disproportion will remain?

 

[GenMarshall]

At least Germany recovered after reunification.

 

[The Yankee]

How do you think similar map will look like in 2017, 2027 and so on?
Do you think we'll see more green on the map, or the relative disproportion will remain?

I don't know how much the world market will contribute to rising standards of life in many of these countries, but you'll likely still see large swaths of orange and red, only because it would be in comparison to those at the top. But the quality of life could get better for many people.

 

[Winner]

At least Germany recovered after reunification.

Some say it would have been better if East Germany remained independent for some time. It was not really prepared for the shock of being integrated into a market economy.

 

[Winner]

I don't know how much the world market will contribute to rising standards of life in many of these countries, but you'll likely still see large swaths of orange and red, only because it would be in comparison to those at the top. But the quality of life could get better for many people.

Of course, I am interested more in the relative gains. It looks like that the West remains rich no matter what happens in the rest of the world.

 

[Gelion]

Now I understand you a little more Winner. Yes the world is poor and un-developed. Most of it is made out of stone and mud, not concrete and glass. When I was living in USSR I thought that all the world has the same standart of living with electricity, good schools and running water.

IMO the gaps would only get deeper in 2017 and 2027.

 

[Bill3000]

Why does Serbia have no data, and Somalia does?

 

[The Yankee]

Of course, I am interested more in the relative gains. It looks like that the West remains rich no matter what happens in the rest of the world.

Many of those in the rich Western countries (and we'll throw in Japan, ROK, Singapore, etc.) will be able to buy the latest and greatest, but the real concern would be how much cheaper basic goods and fair amounts of consumer products will be to people in these other countries, and that will include some of the countries that look great on that map, but are heavily skewed towards the ultra rich (Equitorial Guinea being a perfect example).

Basically, if the infrastructure gets in place so that goods can be delivered and sold for low prices, a person could bring themselves much closer, in relative terms, to the standard of life of your average rich Westerner even without lifting his income in that same proportion. Things like TVs, air conditioners, furniture, refrigerators, etc. would raise such a standard.

Or I could be rambling very late at night again.

 

[Winner]

Now I understand you a little more Winner. Yes the world is poor and un-developed. Most of it is made out of stone and mud, not concrete and glass. When I was living in USSR I thought that all the world has the same standart of living with electricity, good schools and running water.

If there is an irony in this, I don't get it.

IMO the gaps would only get deeper in 2017 and 2027.

 

[GenMarshall]

Some say it would have been better if East Germany remained independent for some time. It was not really prepared for the shock of being integrated into a market economy.

What would have made East Germany ready to be intergrated into a capitalist market economy?

 

[Swedishguy]

How can the global situation improve?

 

[Winner]

What would have made East Germany ready to be intergrated into a capitalist market economy?

Internal reforms and transition to market economy. All other post-communist countries went through this painful process, but at the end, their economies are now more competitive than the economy of the former East Germany, which is dependent on subsidies and other forms of money transfers from the West. East Germany suffers from high unemployment, young people are moving to the West to escape it, crime and social radicalism (both right and left wing) is on the rise.

I am not an economist so I can't really speculate why this happened, but perhaps it had something to do with the introduction of the West German currency into East Germany so early on.

 

[Gelion]

If there is an irony in this, I don't get it.

If there's any irony is that you, doing IR and having such strong opinions about international politics didn't know this basic fact about world economy.....
The subline was that "the world in general is in deeper sh*t than you've envisaged, thus a lot more work is needed to bring it up to speed"

 

[Yoda Power]

I think Eastern Europe and China will become more greenish in the next decades. Otherwise, I dunno, possibly India and Brazil too. The rest is screwed methinks.

 

[Winner]

If there's any irony is that you, doing IR and having such strong opinions about international politics didn't know this basic fact about world economy.....

Oh please

The subline was that "the world in general is in deeper sh*t than you've envisaged, thus a lot more work is needed to bring it up to speed"

I am not surprised that the world is mostly poor, I am surprised that the situation does not improve.

 

[Riffraff]

I think what's significant abou this map, is how few countries are shaded in yellow.

 

[RedRalph]

I'm amazed there are still European countries in the same bracket as the Congo. Particularly as they would have been far better off than it in the recent past. Shurely Shome Mishtake?

 

[Rambuchan]

I was surprised how poor the world is on average.

I am not surprised that the world is mostly poor,

"Winner - bringing you honesty, integrity and consistency, since September 2004."

I am surprised that the situation does not improve.

I think what's significant abou this map, is how few countries are shaded in yellow.

Why do you think this is so?

 

[Yoda Power]

Why do you think this is so?

I guess, since it means that you are either rich or poor, there is no in-between, thus making the gap bigger.

 

[Riffraff]

Why do you think this is so?

Well because things generally distribute in something Gaussian shaped and because this is pretty much the opposite.