The Present Confusion of Economic Development

Article written by guest writer Rin Mitchell

What’s the Latest Development?

The terms developed country and developing country have been used to determine whether a country is rich or poor. However, a country like China is labeled as a developing country, but is not necessarily a poor country—just a country with a poor mind state. Then there is Spain that is classified as developed, yet going through a dire financial crisis—still it considers itself rich. The developed United States is still trying to recover from the 2008 financial crisis, unemployment is still an issue and healthcare is not the greatest—but the mindset is still that it is a rich country. What happens when a country that is not rich thinks it is poor and a poor country thinks it is rich? “Even if the division between the developed and the developing or emerging countries remains broadly unchanged, the definition of “rich country” and “poor country” is rapidly evolving—and ever more difficult to define.”

What’s the Big Idea?

It is believed rich countries have a poor state of mind and poor countries have a rich state of mind. What is known as a developing country and a developed country has changed by definition due to perception. So it does not mean a developed country is rich and a developing country does not mean it is poor. The people of China and Spain are examples of countries that have a different state of mind from what is actually happening in their countries.