Obstacles to Global Development Why have some developing nations made progress towards modernization and others fail to achieve their economic goals?

Although outcomes may differ by country, many share problems in 5 general areas: 1)Geography 2)Population and poverty 3)Economic dependence 4)Economic policies 5)Political stability

Geography Difficult climate (dry spells, floods,wind storms) Few natural resources Poor soil for farming Hard to reach for trade (no ports, isolated by mountains)

Population & Poverty High birthrate Traditions encourage large families Not enough food, housing, jobs, medical care

Economic Dependence Dependence on developed nations for manufactured goods and technology Dependence on one crop Heavy borrowing from foreign banks, high interest rates

Economic Policies Unsuccessful attempts to follow socialism Inability of government to pay for big projects Spending on weapons instead of health care, education, housing

Political Instability Quarrels among religious groups Civil wars Conflict between Soviet efforts to encourage communism and U.S. efforts to encourage democracy

Your Assignment… Choose 2 of the following 5 nations of the Global South: Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Haiti Pair each nation with a relevant obstacle to it’s development from the list Using a case study format, compare and contrast both nations and their obstacles Using the PPA website, propose changes in international public policies as solutions to the countries’ obstacles