undeveloped or underdeveloped

[keannu]

[FONT=&#48148]Both (undeveloped or underdeveloped) countries and advanced countries have problems with increase in population. Overpopulation causes diverse problems. Occurring problems(Problems occurring) in (undeveloped or underdeveloped) countries are different from problems(the ones) in advanced countries.
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Which would you use between undeveloped and underdeveloped in contrast to "advance countries"?[/FONT]

 

[Tarheel]

I think "underdeveloped" is preferable.

You do know what "diverse" means, don't you?

 

[GoesStation]

You need a space before each open parenthesis.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Both underdeveloped and advanced countries have problems with increases in population. Overpopulation causes many problems. Problems occurring in underdeveloped countries are different from problems in advanced countries.
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Which would you use if you were choosing between undeveloped and underdeveloped countries?

Underdeveloped.

 

[jutfrank]

Underdeveloped sounds terribly insulting, patronising, western-centric, politically-incorrect and misguided to me. It suggests some kind of deficiency (under- usually means not enough) as if certain countries are inferior to others based on how developed they are. (Note, there is no concept of overdeveloped.)

Undeveloped is not appropriate as there are no longer any undeveloped countries on Earth. A more accurate choice might be developing, but since all countries are constantly developing, this term is almost meaningless.

I suggest less developed versus more developed.


(Also, don't say advanced unless you say in what way. Economically advanced? Technologically advanced? Industrially? Culturally? Spiritually? It's important to be clear about what you mean.)

 

[GoesStation]

Whether or not it could logically apply to all countries, the term developing​ is widely used.

 

[Raymott]

[Not an economist]

Underdevelopment has a specific meaning in economics based on a certain theory of global capitalism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underdevelopment

 

[jutfrank]

The similarly awful term Third World also used to be widely used. To refer to only some countries as developing suggests to me they need to catch up.

(You can sense this is one of those pet hates of mine!):roll:

 

[Raymott]

They do need to catch up if they want to efficiently use their resources and participate in the global economy. It's not a term of moral judgement. It's a technical term about GDP and trade balances etc.

 

[jutfrank]

[Not an economist]

Underdevelopment has a specific meaning in economics based on a certain theory of global capitalism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underdevelopment

Well, I'm not sure it does have a specific meaning actually, but if it does, I'm saying this is not a good word to use. And yes, the term is definitely based on a certain antiquated 19th Century idea of global capitalism.

(Why send me this Wiki page? Have you read it? It is badly written, almost completely senseless in places.)

 

[Raymott]

Yes, I've read bits of the page. I didn't write it though. It was to demonstrate that the word is used appropriately in the context in which it is used - a technical term meaning a specific thing to the people who use it.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

They do need to catch up if they want to efficiently use their resources and participate in the global economy. It's not a term of moral judgement. It's a technical term about GDP and trade balances etc.

"Underdeveloped" is certainly better than Keannu's earlier choice, "backward," but Jutfrank is still making a worthwhile point. There are some underdeveloped countries I'd like to see the US catch up with!

I don't know whether Keannu would get it or agree, but it's a good point to raise.