One thing that I have noticed recently was the usage of the word "3rd world" by none other than myself!
I never used this word, but with the constant usage of this word by DR1ers, it has caught on with me.
I have never felt at ease with this word, especially when its applied to the DR. This word always made me feel as if the DR is second best, not good enough, etc. Also, given the fact that this country is a middle income country, makes the country, officially at least, not poor. The fact that we are middle income nation explains why just about everywhere there are contrasts between modernity and antiquity, wealth and poverty, etc.
These contrasts have become more prevailant as times have moved forward, but its important to note that before 1970s all the way back to the colonial time period, this nation was simply poor. People were either rich or poor, most often poor and the rich were not that rich at all.
From the 1970s onward, the middle class and upper class segment of society has grown and the number of poor people (in absolute number and percentage wise) have decreased as well since the 1970s.
All of these middle class developments, shopping malls, and general affluence visible not just in Santo Domingo and Santiago (traditionally the only two places where such affluence existed), but in other cities nationwide, such as San Francisco, La Vega, Moca, Puerto Plata, La Romana, Higuey, among others.
This increase of wealth and contrasts is a testament to the increasing middle class tilt the country has been turning for the past 40 odd years since Trujillo died.
Thus, comes the question of whether the word "3rd world" is appropriate for a country that at the end of every decaded since the 1970s, has ended up wealthier than it was at the beginning of the same decade!
Never in the history of this country has there been so many middle class and upper class Dominicans alive at once. Never has there been so much economic mobility, opportunity, and economic growth. Never has the DR has got it as good as it has right now, despite the crisis that we recently went through.
Is the term "3rd world" appropriate for a middle income country?
If so, why? If not, why not?
In a world where most countries are not growing economically by any substancial amount, in a world where middle class is simply a dream to be had, can we categorize the Dominican Republic, with its average growth of spectacular 7% in 1990s and now returning to high growth once again, in a country where the middle class is not just a dream, but a reality that keeps growing?
I invite every DR1er to give their personal opinion of this, it should be an interesting thread.
I never used this word, but with the constant usage of this word by DR1ers, it has caught on with me.
I have never felt at ease with this word, especially when its applied to the DR. This word always made me feel as if the DR is second best, not good enough, etc. Also, given the fact that this country is a middle income country, makes the country, officially at least, not poor. The fact that we are middle income nation explains why just about everywhere there are contrasts between modernity and antiquity, wealth and poverty, etc.
These contrasts have become more prevailant as times have moved forward, but its important to note that before 1970s all the way back to the colonial time period, this nation was simply poor. People were either rich or poor, most often poor and the rich were not that rich at all.
From the 1970s onward, the middle class and upper class segment of society has grown and the number of poor people (in absolute number and percentage wise) have decreased as well since the 1970s.
All of these middle class developments, shopping malls, and general affluence visible not just in Santo Domingo and Santiago (traditionally the only two places where such affluence existed), but in other cities nationwide, such as San Francisco, La Vega, Moca, Puerto Plata, La Romana, Higuey, among others.
This increase of wealth and contrasts is a testament to the increasing middle class tilt the country has been turning for the past 40 odd years since Trujillo died.
Thus, comes the question of whether the word "3rd world" is appropriate for a country that at the end of every decaded since the 1970s, has ended up wealthier than it was at the beginning of the same decade!
Never in the history of this country has there been so many middle class and upper class Dominicans alive at once. Never has there been so much economic mobility, opportunity, and economic growth. Never has the DR has got it as good as it has right now, despite the crisis that we recently went through.
Is the term "3rd world" appropriate for a middle income country?
If so, why? If not, why not?
In a world where most countries are not growing economically by any substancial amount, in a world where middle class is simply a dream to be had, can we categorize the Dominican Republic, with its average growth of spectacular 7% in 1990s and now returning to high growth once again, in a country where the middle class is not just a dream, but a reality that keeps growing?
I invite every DR1er to give their personal opinion of this, it should be an interesting thread.