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What is global inequality?

Systematic differences in wealth and power resulting from globalization.

What is the distinction between absolute and relative poverty?

Absolute poverty means lacking sufficient food, while relative poverty measures inequality compared to the majority population.

How many people currently live in poverty worldwide?

An estimated 1.3 billion people, roughly one in four.

What characteristics do high-income countries typically have compared to low-income countries?

Higher standard of living, more food availability, lower starvation/malnutrition rates, and longer life expectancy.

What are the impacts of education in lower-income countries?

Lack of sophisticated educational systems can hinder economic growth and perpetuate poverty.

What has been the trend in some lower-income East Asian countries in recent decades?

Many have undergone industrialization and moved to middle-income or high-income status.

What do market-oriented theories suggest is necessary to eliminate poverty?

Overcoming fatalistic attitudes, ending government interference, and encouraging savings and investment.

What is the main claim of dependency theories regarding global poverty?

Global poverty results from the exploitation of poor countries by wealthy ones, rooted in historical colonialism.

What core focus does world-systems theory have regarding global inequality?

Understanding the capitalist world system as a whole and the relationships among core, peripheral, and semi-peripheral countries.

What is the perspective of global capitalism theory compared to world-systems theory?

Global capitalism emphasizes stateless corporations as key actors in the global economy rather than national states.

What uncertainty surrounds the future of global inequality?

It is unclear if global inequality will rise or fall, with potential wage leveling and unified global prosperity being possibilities.