The Third World Conundrum: Who Cares?

We possibly still refer to them as third world, the countries that still face the same enigmas they did more than half a century ago, a maelstrom of poverty, disease, conflict, and hopelessness that characterised much of Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia, of the 1950s.

“Thank goodness,” we can all say, for the bravery and vision of the Saudi Arabian, Emirati, Qatari, and Omani leaders who grasped their opportunities at exactly the right time, to capitalise on the oil and gas resources, while others proved both selfish and profligate given similar opportunities and failed to achieve the independence and upward profiles of their neighbours. How they must look at tiny Oman, and think, “There, by the grace of God we should have gone.” You know, Frenchman Alfred Sauvy was an anthropologist and historian who wrote in 1952, ‘Three Worlds, One Planet,’ in which he theorised that the capitalist world mainly Europe and North America, was the ‘First World,’ Russia and her Eastern Europe Communist allies was the ‘Second World,’ while the ‘Third World’ included Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, many of them former colonies of European powers.

Interestingly, he didn’t believe that population control was the answer to poverty, but the genuine realisation of natural resources for the benefit of the people was the key to a nation’s, and a people’s development. Clearly, some forefathers were intelligent, articulate, and compassionate enough to understand Sauvy’s message, the Sultanate being a shining example.

Anthropologically, even sociologically, he postulated too that there was a risk of under-population of some countries, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that whilst jealously guarding their borders, resource rich countries such as Australia, Canada, and Kazakhstan for example, could possibly be seen as lacking the populations to fully develop and benefit from their resources. It is an interesting thought.

At the other end of the scale, the United Arab Emirates has established itself as a financial, commerce, and tourism hub, using its resources, and creating an environment where people from all over the world can appreciate that a sustainable, guilt-free, work-life-play balance, is possible in a Middle Eastern metropolis. Qatar, due to its very small size, has relied upon offshore investment, mainly in real estate, though a growing commercial investment is also becoming apparent, while Saudi Arabia has focused on big budget, in-country projects, The Line, or ‘Neom’ the futuristic city, could yet change the way we see our living spaces.

We must though, complement the Omani government on exercising fiscal discretion and control in recent years. From having appeared anything but secure a decade ago, to a situation where a budget surplus could be announced of RO 656 billion, and a reduction in public debt from RO 16.3 billion, to RO 14.8 billion, demonstrates a significantly responsible attitude. Consequently, the standard of living in Oman has risen immeasurably! Looking ahead, and with a continued environmentally sympathetic and socially responsible, balanced attitude to the oil and gas resources, the Sultanate is a model for sustainability in the Middle East, and the world.

So, this handful of desert nations have managed to use their resources wisely, without the excesses and corruption that have beset much of the African and South American continents, and parts of Asia. They have ensured that all their populations have shared in the prosperity, even if the absolute wealth has not yet reached all equally.

Societal goodwill, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security are today what could only have been a pipedream once upon a time.

So, what becomes of the ‘third world’ today? Do we just wash our hands of them and say, “tough luck, you had your chance, and you blew it!” Or do we help them out? Sauvy wrote, “this exploited, scorned, ignored, ‘third world,’ wants also, to become something.” This week, I don’t have the solutions... maybe you do?