Global Poverty; An Inequality from Birth Jeanna M Ashman July 30, 2013 Artifact: https://www.thinglink.

com/scene/418611519362695169#tlsite After reflecting on these chapters I was particularly drawn to how the inequality created by neocolonialism affects global poverty. Neocolonialism is the dependence of one country economically and technologically on another (Schaefer, 2013 p.208). Immanuel Wallerstein found that many countries have never had independent economies but rather have always had economies dependent on global interactions (Schafer, 2013 p. 210). Further Wallerstein found that there is a core group of developed nations including the United States, Western Europe and Japan that exploits periphery nations by keeping them dependent on the more powerful states. These dependent peripheral nations include the remaining Asian countries. Latin America and Africa (Schaefer, 2013 p.210). Wallersteins findings are one of the theories contributing to dependency theory. Dependency theory states that despite many countries economic advances they remain exploited and dependent on developed countries (Schaefer, 2013, p.210). This exploitation, as Schaefer explains is maintained through increasing debts owed by developing countries to developed countries, limiting the ability of developing countries to invest in goods and services for their citizens (Schaefer, 2013, p.210). The bottom left link is a trailer for a series of documentaries on poverty. I chose this trailer because is illustrates that poverty is a global issue and has numerous representations and numerous causes. Series in these films cover numerous topics including lack of access to education, medical care and constant violence. I think it easy to forget that poverty means more than not having a home, and food but also includes lack of access to health care, education and community support. I felt these films illustrated Wallersteins concepts because the citizens dependent on aide organizations that were funded by core countries. I watched one of the films called Welcome to the World which compared the survival and opportunities given to children in the United States, Cambodia and Sierra Leon. I think what the film illustrates is that even before birth children have to overcome numerous obstacles: global inequality begins before birth. For example, the film states that there are only 78 midwives in Sierra Leone, causing many women and children to die during the childbirth process (2013). It can be assumed that the elite members of the country have access to medical care that is not shared with the poor. Moreover, the film illustrated that political aspect of poverty. According to opinions expressed the film, in many countries it is the mismanagement of funds and greed has increased the gap between the rich and the poor (2013). Another thing I felt the film illustrated was some positive aspects of modernization. For example, the film stated that in Sierra Leone only 17% of women use contraception where as in Norway 88% of women do (2013). I feel this shows how the cycle of poverty continues as and practices concerning family planning remain rooted in native tradition. In countries such as Sierra Leone the poor who have the least access to prenatal care and safe birthing centers, and have more pregnancies beginning at earlier ages. Putting both them and the children they could leave behind if they die in

childbirth at risk. While modernization can sometime impose other beliefs, in these cases modernization could help end poverty. The first link below the word poverty has a video illustrating the global inequalities of the distribution of wealth. This short video does an excellent job of illustrating visually the figures Schaefer noted. This includes that the richest two percent of the world owns 50% of the wealth (Schaefer, 2013 p.217). Schaefer also emphasized that in the developing countries the rich continue to increase their wealth while the poor continue to live in poverty, increasing the unequal distribution of wealth between these two groups. Schaefer expands on this point stating that in developing countries people in more rural areas make less money but the urban area cannot support all the people who migrate there (Schaefer, 2013 p.218). Additionally, this short film illustrates the neocolonial relationship many developing countries have with the core developed ones. The article The State of Opportunities in South Africa: Inequality among Children and in the Labor Market by Ambar Narayan and Sandeep Mahajan found that location and education level of the parents were the most important factors in children finishing primary school in a timely manner, the level infrastructure surrounding them and having access to health insurance (2013 pg.2). Moreover, I believe that education is key to ending poverty and narrowing the income gap. Reflecting back to the video on children born into poverty; if those mothers were educated on birth control methods (even as simple as tracking menstrual cycle) they could be better providers to their children. I feel that if children receive better education, more nutrients and live in safer less crammed conditions, they will be on the first steps towards breaking the widening wealth gap and poverty cycle Resources: Grain Media (Producer) (May 02, 2013). Global Wealth Inequality retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJtOhfpGlZ8&feature=youtu.be Mahajan S. and Narayan A. ( April 2013). The State of Opportunities in South Africa: Inequality among Children and in the Labor Market. The World Bank :Inequality in Focus. 2(1). Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/Poverty%20documents /Inequality-in-Focus-April2013.pdf Why Poverty (November 20, 2012). Why Poverty? Project Trailer: join the global debate. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svSnBi1UdZQ Why Poverty (Jan 11, 2013) Welcome to the World. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KigXe6RIczw Image from: http://t1.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/33/66/10/400_F_33661030_qogmSukN80cchCTmMXHJNRiAs AAkEjFu.jpg