Third-worldism

The "three worlds" of the Cold War era, as of the period between 30 April and 24 June 1975. Neutral and non-aligned countries shown in grey.

Third-worldism is a political concept and ideology that emerged during period the of decolonization and Cold War that followed the Second World War. The ideology emphasized national self-determination and advocated for solidarity among the countries and people of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Third-worldism called for opposition to colonialism and imperialism, it also supported economic independece from dominant world powers.

Third-worldism encompassed a range of political approaches: early expressions emphasized cooperation among newly independent states, including the 1955 Bandung Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961. Later expressions (during the 1960s and 1970s) promoted more militant forms of anti-imperialism and national liberation, inspired by revolutionary socialist movements. These movements increasingly identified the United States as a principal imperialist power. Some movements chose to explicitly align themselves with the Soviet Union or China while other sought to remain independent.

Third-worldism declined in influence during the 1980s and the end of the Cold War. Its political and intellectual legacy continued to influence debates about development, international inequality, and postcolonialism.

Overview

The political thinkers and leaders of third-worldism argued that the north–south divisions and conflicts were of primary political importance compared to the East-West opposition of the Cold War period. In the three-world model, the countries of the First World were the ones allied with the United States. The Second World designation referred to the former industrial socialist states under the influence of the Soviet Union. The Third World, hence, consisted of the countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Communist Bloc. The Third World was normally seen to include many countries with colonial pasts in Africa, Latin America, Oceania and Asia. It was also sometimes taken as synonymous with countries in the Non-Aligned Movement, connected to the world economic division as "periphery" countries in the world system that is dominated by the "core" countries. Third-worldism was connected to new political movements following the decolonization and new forms of regionalism that emerged in the erstwhile colonies of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East as well as in the older established states of Latin America, including pan-Arabism, pan-Africanism, pan-Americanism and pan-Asianism.

The first period of the Third Worldist movement, that of the "first Bandung Era", was led by the Egyptian, Indonesian and Indian heads of state such as Nasser, Sukarno and Nehru. They were followed in the 1960s and 1970s by a second generation of third-worldist governments that emphasized a more radical and revolutionary socialist vision, personified by Che Guevara. At the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s, Third Worldism entered a period of decline.

Third World Solidarity

Third World solidarity is a key tenet of Third Worldism, emphasizing unity and cooperation among countries and peoples of the Global South in the struggle against imperialism, colonialism, and neocolonialism. It embodies the principle of mutual support and shared interests among formerly colonized and oppressed peoples, seeking to address common challenges such as poverty, underdevelopment, and marginalization. Third World solidarity encompasses various forms of collaboration, including diplomatic alliances, economic cooperation, cultural exchange, and mutual aid. It emphasizes the agency and autonomy of the Global South in shaping its own destiny and advocating for a more just and equitable international order.

Leaders and theorists

Several leaders have been associated with and supported the third-worldist movement, including:[failed verification]

Theorists include:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Berger, Mark T. (2004). "After the Third World? History, destiny and the fate of Third Worldism". Third World Quarterly. 25 (1): 9–39. doi:10.1080/0143659042000185318.
  2. ↑ Parrott, R. Joseph (2022). "Tricontinentalism and the Anti-Imperial Project". In Parrott, R. Joseph; Lawrence, Mark Atwood (eds.). The Tricontinental Revolution: Third World Radicalism and the Cold War. Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781009004824.002.
  3. 1 2 Tomlinson, B. R. (2003). "What Was the Third World?". Journal of Contemporary History. 38 (2): 307–321. doi:10.1177/0022009403038002135.
  4. 1 2 Berger, Mark T. (February 2004). "After the Third World? History, destiny and the fate of Third Worldism". Third World Quarterly. 25 (1): 9–39. doi:10.1080/0143659042000185318. S2CID 145431458. Retrieved 24 January 2020 – via ResearchGate.
  5. ↑ Stenner, David (2019-01-01). Globalizing Morocco: Transnational Activism and the Postcolonial State. Stanford University Press. doi:10.1515/9781503609006. ISBN 978-1-5036-0900-6.
  6. ↑ Prashad, Vijay (2007). The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World. New Press. ISBN 978-1565847859.
  7. ↑ Fanon, Frantz (1963). The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press. ISBN 978-0-8021-5083-7. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  8. ↑ Bridges, Brian, ed. (2016). Bandung 1955: Non-Alignment and Afro-Asian Solidarity. Routledge. ISBN 9789814155496.
  9. ↑ Loescher, Gil; Letiche, John M. (1987). The Third World in Global Development. Longman. ISBN 978-0-582-48247-5. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  10. ↑ Malley, Robert (November 1999). "The Third Worldist Moment". Current History. 98 (631): 359–369. doi:10.1525/curh.1999.98.631.359. S2CID 155836302. ProQuest 200708732. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  11. ↑ Macey, David (2012). Frantz Fanon: A Biography (Second ed.). Verso Books. p. 20.

Further reading