The World’s priorities

The Global South isn’t disappearing—it’s increasingly global, as seen in widening income gaps, entrenched poverty, and the ongoing extraction of resources and labour-power toward the global North. This reflects a five-century-long expansion of capitalism, which dictates global priorities in investment, production, and consumption. These choices are shaped by powerful states, global institutions, corporations, and an affluent minority. The outcome? A global spending pattern that that all but prioritises the poor as shown in this graph. For instance, funding for universal basic education falls short of U.S. cosmetic spending alone, and ensuring water and sanitation for all costs less than Europe’s annual ice cream purchases. The numbers are from the late 1990s, but the message endures.

Source: Thomas, C. (1999). Where is the Third World now? Review of International Studies 25(5): 225-244.