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Chapter 12: The North-South Gap

Critical Thinking Questions

Critical Thinking Questions

This activity contains 5 questions.

In what ways does the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) discussed in Chapter 8 reflect the overall state of North-South relations as described in this chapter? How would capitalism and socialism as general approaches to the theory of wealth accumulation differ in their views of the agreement?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

The zones of the world economy as described by world-system theorists treat the North as a core and the South as largely a periphery. Can you think of exceptions to this formula? How seriously do such exceptions challenge the overall concept as applied to North-South relations generally? Be specific about why the exceptions do not fit the theory.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

In North and South America, independence from colonialism was won by descendants of the colonists themselves. In Asia and Africa, it was won mainly by local populations with a long history of their own. How do you think this aspect has affected the postcolonial history of one or more specific countries from each group?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Suppose you lived in an extremely poor slum in the global South and had no money or job—but retained all the knowledge you now have. What strategy would you adopt for your own survival and well-being? What strategies would you reject as infeasible? Would you adopt or reject the idea of revolution? Why?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

Currently incomes in the global North are five times as high, per person, as in the global South. If you could magically redistribute the world's income so that everyone had equal income ($10,000 per person per year), would you? What effects would such a change make in the North and South?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

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