Bersabe, Adrian A.

9 October 2017
11341661

Module 1 Paper

Less developed countries (LDCs) learned to raise their voices in the 1950s when they were
in the position of not choosing between choosing sides during the Cold War. The emphasis of this
issue lies with the newly gained independence of most of these countries from colonizers. Over
the years, these countries that the developed countries continue to retain dominance, while they
sit on the periphery of the world economy. Growth and progress are centered on the developed
countries, while poverty endangers the LDCs. Due to this, the Third World Movement has been
created to act as political and economic security of these countries.

Peace is of utmost importance for these independent countries who does not want to be
involved in any aspects of the cold war. It is understood that peace can contribute to economic
and political stability of the country as they can focus on the development of their own industries,
rather than funding defense and restoration efforts. Thus, the movement stood in the firm
political ground of no war involvement. The leaders of the third world made this decision despite
the threat of punishment for being equivocal and the negotiating powers of communism from
the USSR – which is the opposite of colonization ideology from the US.

Apart from keeping peace as a political security, they want to retain their independence
without any reservations about it. Most of them have been under a colonizer for several years
already and they want to break the connection and the control of these colonizers from their
national decisions and policies. These countries formed one voice – G77 – to protect and gain
power in bilateral talks with other powerful nations. This move creates the image of strong
political will from the member countries to be able to protect and cultivate their own economies.

Political motives indeed affect the economies of these countries, but they also conducted
actions wherein safeguarding of their economic interests are to be preserved in the world
economy. One of which is the achievement of special treatment by the WTO in international
trade agreements. These provisions allow third world countries to be able to implement the
commitments at a longer time, while being allowed to have an increased trade with developed
countries. This achievement recognizes the needs and capabilities of each member country of
the WTO, and fairness for the LDCs.

The LDCs also fought to call for a New International Economic Order (NIEO) to be able to
break from capitalism ideology of imperialism. Clearly, the LDCs are under the area of periphery
where they are supplying the lesser value products at a lower price, with the capital having been
able to develop at an exponential rate and sells products at a higher price. This creates a wide
poverty gap of developed and developing countries. Fortunately, the actions of the third world
made a beneficial impact that can clearly be seen in the difference of the average per capita of
the gross national products of the two nation classifications.

The Third World Movement’s actions have given them security to protect their peace and
order, as well as their own economies against the intimidation and the power of the developed
nations. However, there was a time that these countries stood differently with one another as
the Newly Industrialized Countries – with different needs than LDCs – emerged. With these in
mind, these countries are now compliant with the World Bank and other international
organizations with their own representatives to fight for what they think will benefit their own
nation.