What is a developed country?

[Tonington]

In the Obamacare thread, there's a lot of talk about what is and is not a devleoped nation. GDP, GDP per capita, bankrolling rich nations... in other discussions, arguments for status of developed, developing nations look at things like the degree of industrialization or the newish Human Development Index, which places more emphasis on the sophistication of the economy/nation to rate the degree of development.

I'd like to hear some alternatives. I personally prefer indexed scores, which can consider multiple variables at a time, which can tend to obscure the greater reality one might find in these countries.

 

[Walter]

No country is developed; all countries are developing.

 

[AnnaG]

Don't look at me for an answer. I was under the impression all of them are developing, some faster than others.

 

[Tonington]

No country is developed; all countries are developing.

Yes exactly, that's one feather in the cap for the Human Development Index. Countries get a score somewhere between 0 and 1.

 

[TenPenny]

I've been told that the only measure of a developed country is per capita income.

 

[EagleSmack]

i've been told that the only measure of a developed country is per capita income.

rofl

 

[JLM]

I think it's kind of a stupid statement- virtually every country is develped in certain ways- any country that has any kind of government is at least partly developed, if they have a sewer system they are more developed, if they have roads they are more developed etc. etc.

 

[JLM]

I've been told that the only measure of a developed country is per capita income.

That statement is about as stupid as they get, like saying the only sign on an educated person is how well he can add.

 

[Lineman]

It may be too simplistic an answer but it has to have a proper and maintained sewage system.
Think it through, countries with exploding populations and no sewage system suffer from pollution, poor economies, unrest and disease. Those who have it have good economies, stable governments, and a middle class.
Theres likely a lot more to it, good education system as an example, but overall, it seems to be applicable.

 

[TenPenny]

It may be too simplistic an answer but it has to have a proper and maintained sewage system.

That would take Canada off the list!

Pumping sewage out into the ocean is hardly 'proper and maintained'.

 

[#juan]

That would take Canada off the list!

Pumping sewage out into the ocean is hardly 'proper and maintained'.

There are sewage treatment plants all across Canada. I'm aware that raw sewage has been, and continues to be pumped into the ocean from some cities. I'm also aware that this practice is being reduced as treatment plants are being built in Victoria and some cities on the East coast.
If we are going to chide Victoria, we should also mention that large cities in California are also guilty of this practice. San Diego dumps 50 billion gallons of sewage into the ocean every year. I don't even want to think about LA.

 

[Blackleaf]

I wouldn't say France is developed, considering it relies on other countries' money to stay rich.

Britain contributes billions each year to the Common Agricultural Policy, of which France is the main benificiary because its farmers, unlike those in Britain, are inefficient and lazy. And if Britain didn't have its EU rebate, which France wants to take off us, it would pay an incredible 14 times more to the CAP than France despite having a similar sized economy.

And France doesn't even spend its CAP money on actual agriculture, as that newspaper report from a few years ago which showed French farmers - who do nothing - posing by their sports cars paid for by the generous English (the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish also only survive thanks to English money) taxpayer.

And the pitch in France's national football and rugby stadium, the Stade de France, is a disgrace. They can't even grow proper turf.

 

[TenPenny]

I wouldn't say France is developed.

Oddly, this comes as no surprise.

 

[AnnaG]

It may be too simplistic an answer but it has to have a proper and maintained sewage system.
Think it through, countries with exploding populations and no sewage system suffer from pollution, poor economies, unrest and disease. Those who have it have good economies, stable governments, and a middle class.
Theres likely a lot more to it, good education system as an example, but overall, it seems to be applicable.

Let me see, the USA has a sewage system in most places where there are people. It pollutes even the sewage system. There is unrest in the USA. There's disease there. And it's economy could definitely be better. I guess the USA is undeveloped according to your standards. lol

 

[AnnaG]

I wouldn't say France is developed, considering it relies on other countries' money to stay rich.

Britain contributes billions each year to the Common Agricultural Policy, of which France is the main benificiary because its farmers, unlike those in Britain, are inefficient and lazy. And if Britain didn't have its EU rebate, which France wants to take off us, it would pay an incredible 14 times more to the CAP than France despite having a similar sized economy.

And France doesn't even spend its CAP money on actual agriculture, as that newspaper report from a few years ago which showed French farmers - who do nothing - posing by their sports cars paid for by the generous English (the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish also only survive thanks to English money) taxpayer.

And the pitch in France's national football and rugby stadium, the Stade de France, is a disgrace. They can't even grow proper turf.

And the UK develops riots where people get killed in football games. Last I heard, games were supposed to be a source of fun and friendly competition.

 

[#juan]

And the UK develops riots where people get killed in football games. Last I heard, games were supposed to be a source of fun and friendly competition.

Football in Europe has not been "fun and friendly competition" for decades. A fan is in serious trouble if he cheers for his team while in the wrong side of the stadium.

 

[AnnaG]

Football in Europe has not been "fun and friendly competition" for decades. A fan is in serious trouble if he cheers for his team while in the wrong side of the stadium.

I'm happy that someone else besides me has noticed.

 

[EagleSmack]

Football in Europe has not been "fun and friendly competition" for decades. A fan is in serious trouble if he cheers for his team while in the wrong side of the stadium.

Perhaps Europe is developing still.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I noticed this thread just now, and as I expected, it degenerated into trivialities, everybody saying why a particular country is not developed. The conclusion seems to be that no country in the world is developed. Then why do we talk of developed and developing countries?

Which really emphasizes the point I made in the other thread. Everybody is expressing their opinion as to which country is developed and which isn’t, without much concrete evidence.

Well, to me, the main criteria is per capita income or per capita GDP. There are some other minor criteria (industrialization, Human development Index etc.), but per capita income is the major criteria. You usually cannot have industrialization or high Human Development Index without also high per capita income or per capita GDP.

Anyway, I go by the International monetary Fund list of developed and developing countries. Anything else is pure speculation, personal opinion without any evidence.

Developed country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Developing country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyway, here is one specific definition (there are other, less specific definitions).

In its most recent classification, economies are divided using 2008 Gross National Income per capita. In 2008, countries with GNI per capita below US$11,905 were considered developing.

 

[TenPenny]

Well, to me, the main criteria is per capita income or per capita GDP. There are some other minor criteria (industrialization, Human development Index etc.), but per capita income is the major criteria.

The 'main' criteria?

I was told it was the ONLY criteria.