Why Developing Countries Struggle to Develop

With all the technology and amazing things being done in this world, it is difficult to understand why there are still countries that are not developed or that are underdeveloped. It can be tough for someone who lives in a country of prosperity to understand why another country cannot seem to get it together and provide their people with opportunity.

However, a deeper look at developing countries, which may also be referred to as third world countries, shows there is a combination of things that lead to a country lagging behind and not being able to develop. For the most part, these are things that the individual residents of a country cannot control or even influence.

It is important to understand what is holding a country back from developing in order to find a solution to the problems. Here's a look at those things.

Politics

One of the biggest things holding back developing countries is politics. It is no surprise that politics can ruin a nation. It has happened in history many times. There are many ways politics influences the growth and opportunities within a country.

Some countries are isolated because their governments do not want to open to international trade. When this happens, they do not get access to technology or other things that can help them to grow. They keep their residents trapped at income levels that are horrible by trying to be self-sufficient. The top countries in the world have embraced global business and trade, which has paid off.

Sometimes leaders are just bad. They do not really care about their people. They won't do anything to help the people if it doesn't benefit them in some way. Bad leaders can isolate a country. They can create tension with other countries. They can concentrate wealth to only certain parts of the population, leaving everyone else in poverty. They enact unfair laws and create an environment that doesn't encourage growth.

Bad leaders may also be bad simply because they do not know what they are doing. They could have no idea what it takes to lead a country and manage it in a way that promotes growth. This may also lead to instability where leadership changes often, which means nothing can ever get done.

Geography

For some countries, they are just in a bad location. Many developing countries are stuck in areas where water is hard to find, diseases flourish and the land isn't fertile. When you cannot provide your people with the basics of food, water and good health, it will be tough to develop your country. While there is a lot of outreach to countries like this, such as the work of Timur Tillyaev, the struggles cannot be overcome easily.

Location can also impact the ability to interact with other countries. Access to the markets is essential if a country wants to grow. Being cut off due to location, can really drag down a country and make it tough to rise above the current conditions.

Lastly, resources in developing countries tend to be scarce. They simply do not have things that are needed to make a successful country. They don't have oil or amazing crops. They don't have the ability to produce great technology. They are behind in so many ways that getting ahead is almost impossible because they have nothing to offer. Even when they do have great resources, there are often problems with accessing them and getting them to the market.

Culture

Sometimes culture can stand in a developing country's way. Discrimination that is rampant in a country can hold the whole country back. Whether it is against a cultural group, certain race or even women, discrimination is not well taken by other countries. Unless a country changes its cultural ways, it could be doomed to remain underdeveloped.

Population issues also tie into culture. In some areas, it is normal to just keep reproducing without any regard for how you will care for the new child or whether you really should have one. Some places lack education and resources to prevent unwanted pregnancies. If a population gets out of control, it puts great strain on the government, which keeps the government from being able to put efforts into other avenues that could help the country grow.

It is easy to sit back and wonder why developing countries have not been able to become developed countries. It may seem crazy that there are people living without electricity or access to clean water in some parts of the world while so many areas of the world have so much. However, it is a reality for many people in developing countries. Depending on what is holding a country back, developing countries may never develop fully. They may never reach their full potential. It takes work on the part of each country and help from others to enable a country to develop and reach the heights of the most powerful countries in the world.