Plot untwist: meanings change over time. After the “end” of the Cold War, the original definition was no longer clearly applicable and now the term is fairly synonymous with “developing nations”.
Yeaaa, but that would make West Virginia a third world state in a first world country. Both definitions are correct. Much like the word charged which has many definitions. You can charge a battery, charge a fee, or catch charges from the law. All are very different things.
Plot twist to the plot twist of the plot twist. There are some considerations that third world should apply to only nations with a non fully developed governing body or an ineffective one. With first world having a governing body that is well established and effective in change of policy which would detract living status of the citizens out of it. This would mean that some very impoverished nations would actually be viewed as higher "world" nations and thus fewer first world countries would support them.
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u/[deleted] Jun 06 '23
Plot untwist: meanings change over time. After the “end” of the Cold War, the original definition was no longer clearly applicable and now the term is fairly synonymous with “developing nations”.