Is America a third world country?

Marcy Sheiner said:
I'm amazed that so many people want to come to the U.S. I've felt that way for years now. No, I don't think we're a Third World country, but we damn sure aren't that great either. Also I don't understand all the contempt and judgment in this thread.
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Were not contemptious, we are just not like some wonderful dream fulfiller. Hard workers yes. billionaires are basically full of shit.

Sure they are lucky and have winning as their head butte, but not one thing they have done in the last 50 years has actually been to my benefit.
The only gain I see is if I say something on the internet, it may reach someone else that disagrees. Haha I don't care!
 
I've met plenty of Brits who talk about visiting the US when they really mean that they are going to Walt Disney world. My point is that the USA is such a large place that you can't define it by just one area. I've seen places with multi million dollar homes, but I've also been surprised to see what were basically shanty towns. I mentioned his to an old friend who now lives in Nevada and he said that there was a great deal of poverty in the US.

Is America a third world country? Perhaps some areas could be compared to poorer countries, but I get the impression that it's the gap between the rich and the poor that stands out.
 
Trade said:
I don't think we are third world but neither would I consider us the be first world either until we have universal health care like the other 32 developed nations do. So I'd put us as second world. Another characteristic of what I would consider a first world nation are those that make higher education either free, or very affordable. We fail to meet that one too.
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100% agree.
 
Murrmurr said:
Sorry, I can't let this one go.

No healthcare provider charges whatever they want. Every service has a set price or price-range. Prices for a hospital stay depend on the hospital's costs of your care. Price of a medication is driven by the cost of it's chemical ingredients and the research, studies, and trials behind it. There are no arbitrary costs in medicine.
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I think if you look into this you'll find that hospitals have 2 separate pricing schedules, one is what they charge you if you're paying cash. The other is what they bill the insurance companies.
 
My friend in the UK was very upset when his mother began having chest problems to get her in for an appointment to see a Dr because she was having symptoms, not an actual heart attack in less than 3 months time. If he paid out of pocket, he could get her in the next week. My sister who lived in Canada for 20+ years came back to the states for the exact same reason as they have/had the same health care system there.
Is there really a tried and true fair for all health care system? I see flaws in them all.
 
I suspect the principal obstacle to adopting a national healthcare system lies in the formidable influence of insurance industry lobbying. These entities would undoubtedly mount vigorous resistance to any such reform. Yet, it's worth noting that the United States already operates two quasi-national healthcare programs—Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration—demonstrating that the foundational infrastructure is not only feasible but already in place. Scaling these systems to serve the broader population would be a matter of strategic expansion rather than invention.
Furthermore, the anticipated tax burden associated with a national system may be less daunting than commonly assumed. When one accounts for the substantial sums currently paid by employees and employers toward private, employer-sponsored health plans, the net fiscal impact could be significantly mitigated.
 
OldOld said:
They should come up with a list (or make an effort to do so). Don't you think? I suppose you are a loyal beliver of the American healthcare system and would defend it.
I would just ask, other countries can do it, why U S. can not? *** Universal healthcare.***
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I'm guessing that socialised health care is an affront to US style capitalism.

Australia has a hybrid system -- part private and part subsidised, or completely free for low income people.
 
IrishEyes said:
My friend in the UK was very upset when his mother began having chest problems to get her in for an appointment to see a Dr because she was having symptoms, not an actual heart attack in less than 3 months time. If he paid out of pocket, he could get her in the next week. My sister who lived in Canada for 20+ years came back to the states for the exact same reason as they have/had the same health care system there.
Is there really a tried and true fair for all health care system? I see flaws in them all.
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pains in the chest is an emergency in thheUK, and there is not one doctor who would not see someone on the same day when it's an emergency... and if by chance they had a doctor who wouldn't see them.. then they can call an ambulance to take them to the emrgency room at the hopsital... Ambulances are free here... and when calling a doctor the voice at the beginning of all doctors surgeries appt lines would tell them if the patient was suffering from chest pains to call 999....

The UK has huge problems with the NHS currently.. and waiting lists for a regulalr GP appt can be as long as 4 week... 3 months is a lie.. I'm sorry to say but that's nonsense.. for a start the GP surgery doesn't have availability appointments beyond 4 weeks, so no-one could have said the appt was available in 3 months.... so whoever told you that was absolutely pulling your leg..
 
hollydolly said:
pains in the chest is an emrgency in thheUK, and there is not one doctor who would not see someone on the same day when it's an emergency... and if by chance they had a doctor who woulddn't see the.. then they can call and abulance to take them to the emrgency room at the hopsital... Ambulances are free here... and when calling a dctor the voice at the beginning of all doctors surgeries would tell them if the patien was suffering from chest pains to call 999....

The UK has huge problems with the NHS currently.. and waiting lists for a regulalr GP appt can be as long as 4 week... 3 months is a lie.. I'm sorry to say but that's nonsense.. for a start the GP surgery doesn't have availability appointments beyond 4 weeks, so no-one could have said the appt was available in 3 months.... so whoever told you that was absolutely pulling your leg..
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I was here on the PC when he came into our chat room very upset and was ranting about it. He paid the cash to get her in. So please don't say it's a lie, you were not present. We had a voice chat it was not SF just to clarify.
 
IrishEyes said:
I was here on the PC when he came into our chat room very upset and was ranting about it. He paid the cash to get her in. So please don't say it's a lie, you were not present. We had a voice chat it was not SF just to clarify.
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I'm sorry I won't be moved on this... I don't doubt he paid to see a private doctor.. many of us have to... but there is NO way he was told there would be a 3 month wait for someone with chest pains.... ! I don't have to have been a fly on the wall to know that....
 
hollydolly said:
I'm sorry I won't be moved on this... I don't doubt he paid to see a private doctor.. many of us have to... but there is NO way he was told there would be a 3 month wait for someone with chest pains.... ! I don't have to have been a fly on the wall to know that....
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You don't have to be moved. Maybe your medical facilities aren't as busy, or maybe it was understaffed who knows. All I know is what he said, how upset he was. He lives in Wales if that makes any difference.
 
IrishEyes said:
You don't have to be moved. Maybe your medical facilities aren't as busy, or maybe it was understaffed who knows. All I know is what he said, how upset he was. He lives in Wales if that makes any difference.
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irisheyes. I live in the busiest area of the uk for medical issues... Wales is the least busy.....I'm not having a pop at you for believng the BS in a chatroom...you're not to know the truth of another country... but you have to believe me this person regardless of how infuriated he seemed to be..was feeding you BS.... there is no way that happened... this is the problem with the internet people can say all sorts of BS and people who don't know differently, believe it... but I can absoutely assure you..no-one told this man that there wouldn't be an appt for 3 months.
 
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hearlady said:
America is not a third world country but it is a broken country.
Let's all help fix it.
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it's the same here..the UK is not a third world country but it's very broken.. and if we're not careful..very careful it could very easily become third world...

Part of the Uk are in a terrible state, and if we allow that to spread to the rest of the UK.. then the country collapses...

I think from everything I've seen in the US..that ooverall it's a stunningly beautiful country..with pockets, like the UK of desperation and degredation...... and because it's such a HUGE country... these things are hard to fix I would imagine because these states are all like different countries with the same or similar language..

There are huge area where people don't even speak English as in the UK... how can one govt keep control of that... they can't...and there lies the danger.. anyway this is fast becoming politiical so I'll stop ,..
 
What do we mean by the label "third world country"?


The term "third world country" is an outdated and often offensive term that historically referred to countries not aligned with either the Western capitalist bloc (First World) or the Eastern socialist bloc (Second World) during the Cold War. Today, it's generally used to describe economically developing or less developed countries, often characterized by poverty, political instability, and lower living standards. However, due to the negative connotations and outdated nature of the term, it's more accurate and respectful to use terms like "developing countries" or "low-income countries". [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]


Here's a more detailed explanation:
  • Historical Context: The term "Third World" originated during the Cold War, when the world was broadly divided into the capitalist First World, the communist Second World, and the non-aligned or neutral nations of the Third World. [1, 3]
  • Shifting Meanings: As the Cold War ended and the Soviet Union dissolved, the Second World essentially disappeared. The term "Third World" then became associated with the concept of "developing" or "underdeveloped" nations, particularly those facing economic hardship and social challenges. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • Modern Usage: While still used in some contexts, "Third World" is largely considered outdated and problematic due to its historical baggage and its association with negative stereotypes. [3, 4, 9, 10, 11]
  • Preferred Terminology: It's generally recommended to use more neutral and accurate terms like "developing countries," "low-income countries," or "less developed countries" when referring to nations with lower levels of economic development. [4, 5, 6, 12]
  • Characteristics of Developing Countries: Developing countries often share characteristics such as lower per capita income, higher rates of poverty, limited access to healthcare and education, and less developed infrastructure. [4, 5, 6]
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] What is the Definition of a Third World Country? - The Borgen Project
[2] https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-definition-of-third-world-Who-uses-this-term-and-what-is-their-reasoning-behind-it
[3]
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1d25yo8
[4] Third World
[5] Developing country - Wikipedia
[6] https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/third-world.asp
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/IWantToLearn/comments/16qnx6b/iwtl_how_to_get_over_the_fact_that_i_wasnt_born/
[8] https://ftp.spaceneedle.com/fetch.php/mL01B4/600015/Is%20Albania%20A%20Third%20World%20Country.pdf
[9] https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/01/04/372684438/if-you-shouldnt-call-it-the-third-world-what-should-you-call-it
[10] https://www.history.com/articles/why-are-countries-classified-as-first-second-or-third-world
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority_World
[12] https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-third-world-country-definition-examples.html
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I'm still fond of "banana republic" as a description of a type. It's not a gracious term by any means, but it does the job.
 
hollydolly said:
pains in the chest is an emergency in thheUK, and there is not one doctor who would not see someone on the same day when it's an emergency... and if by chance they had a doctor who wouldn't see them.. then they can call an ambulance to take them to the emrgency room at the hopsital... Ambulances are free here... and when calling a doctor the voice at the beginning of all doctors surgeries appt lines would tell them if the patient was suffering from chest pains to call 999....

The UK has huge problems with the NHS currently.. and waiting lists for a regulalr GP appt can be as long as 4 week... 3 months is a lie.. I'm sorry to say but that's nonsense.. for a start the GP surgery doesn't have availability appointments beyond 4 weeks, so no-one could have said the appt was available in 3 months.... so whoever told you that was absolutely pulling your leg..
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Sounds increasingly like parts of rural America, but for different reasons. To my knowledge doctors aren't refusing to see patients, they're in another location or it's their day off. Nurse practitioners do a lot of things, because not every situation warrants an actual physician or the patient is in a position that had an MD been on hand they'd have the resources available to do more than a NP. This is just my local little corner of the world, not saying it's universal through out the country.
 
The US is definitely on a downward trend. The debt, the diverging economic classes(concentration of wealth), health care $$$$ fails to deliver value, relinquishing the lead in AI chip design - just one facet of making China great again, decaying infrastructure, political control of non-political .gov functions, and the general decay in behavior, ethics, and standards amongst the population.
 
Flarbalard said:
Sounds increasingly like parts of rural America, but for different reasons. To my knowledge doctors aren't refusing to see patients, they're in another location or it's their day off. Nurse practitioners do a lot of things, because not every situation warrants an actual physician or the patient is in a position that had an MD been on hand they'd have the resources available to do more than a NP. This is just my local little corner of the world, not saying it's universal through out the country.
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yes that's it decribed exactly... but it's endemic throughout the UK, no difference between the services in the city compared to the rual shires... everyone is getting the same treatment... they've gone from Nurse practitioners at my GP surgery..to Paramedics seeing the ''less important'' maladies...
 
The concept that the US is declining comes from the idea that there was once a happy, shining era, where all was right in the world. And now it's lost. Truth is there never was such a time. Every era was filled with wars, riots, injustices, etc., and human suffering. It's easier to remember the good times, and forget other times. Plus, we now have a global economy, where the Third World is becoming economically equal to other nations. No longer is wealth confined to a few nations.
 

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