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Forums - Politics Discussion - Is the United States really a developed country?

Helloplite said:
GINI is not a reliable marker, however. It looks at inequality and disparity in wealth between the poorest and wealthiest. While it indicates the extent of inequality, it does not factor in other important qualitative characteristics, such as the the cost of average living (which, if low, even the poorest can get by), nor does it highlight how the poor of the country in question fare vis-a-vis other countries. USA has huge economic inequalities, but the average living conditions even for the poor, are still much better than in other less developed countries.

And in some place of the US, $15 and hour you can't live on, wheras in some other places in the US, $15 and hour is a very nice wage and you will be comfortable.

All it takes is to look at real estate values. What I can purchase where I live may cost me $200,000. If I were to go somewhere else, that identical house and plot of land could cost me $1,500,000

Clearly I would need to make a shit ton more money to afford the exact same house in one part of the county versus another. So how reliable is this GINI if a person making $15 an hour is living life comfortably and someone else making $30 and hour is barely scrapping by? How is it that person who makes less is less poor than the person who makes more?

That GINI is pointless in big areas. It only works when comparing the same standard of living, which in the case of US is not the same across the country.



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Americans can stay fooled by their politicians that Canadian health care takes long or is inferior or is socialism.  Just look at the facts Canadians live longer much longer then the average US citizen were up in our 80's and America still in the 70's  Also other factors like crime and stress. I think parts of the United States are developed but I think many parts are ignored as well.  In 2008 your lack of regulations almost collapsed the worlds economy lol Africa never did that



Russia has huge land mass , only country larger then Canada is russia with huge natural resources



maxleresistant said:
I won't say that the US is not developed.
But it sure has a lot of big problems, the 3 main ones to solve being free Healthcare, education and gun control. This is how you reduce inequalities, give everybody a decent chance.
Now we know the reality is still different, even in countries with free education, you can't become anything you want to be. But at least you'll have a chance of having a good or great job.

Where is education free?



Premise wrong. Subtext to such a question is wrong. Everything so wrong. If you think America is not a developed country you lack both an understanding on how the world compares and how the American government on a federal and state level are run.

It's not even a faux intellectual question to ask. It's just ignorant.



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Aeolus451 said:
What a nonsensical opinion to have. Of course, it's a developed country. Alot of the things you used as examples (murders, poor education, slums) of an undeveloped country were in areas that have been under lefty control for a loooong time. 😹

Donald.....is that you?



I've lived in the Chicago-land area for my entire life, which is one of the largest cities in America.

With more than 7 billion people in the world, I oftentimes find myself wondering how I got so lucky to be born with so many natural advantages (white, American, male). I try not to take these things for granted, as there are many less fortunate individuals that struggle to make ends meat.

I believe that most would agree (although some would not like to admit it) that many people who live in other parts of the world are envious of Americans. With so many people from all over the world immigrating to the US, I would imagine that many people know somebody in their life who has moved here. And in many cases, that person who moved to the US was maybe less deserving than you.

And knowing that said person is now making more money and living a more successful life than you, despite maybe having a less desirable job, can feel unfair. Thus, people form negative opinions of the US and latch onto any negative press. In fact, hearing people say negative things about the US makes you feel a little bit better about your own situation.

It's common for people to dislike something that they themselves cannot be a part of. We see this everywhere.

"I own a PS4. I hate Xbox."
"I don't make a lot of money. I don't care about material things."
"I live in Europe. I don't like the US."

The United States is the most influential country on Earth.

Edit: Not trying to offend anyone here. I have no hard feelings for these individuals and can completely understand their frustration.

Last edited by RaptorChrist - on 13 July 2018

kopstudent89 said:

One thing that dictates why the US is so different is the Geography. It's huge, with people living all over (something Canada doesn't have as bad). And let's say in the UK, it's easier to control a more densely populated country, so much so the police don't need guns. #

Regarding poverty, the fact is Europe has social housing for all and I have noticed that the amount of homelessness in the US is relatively high compared. I'm guessing this goes back to certain policies and some cultural things (like how socialism is frowned upon in the States while in Europe it's part of the fabric of society).

I think it's more of a cultural thing, the gun issue 



How ironic it is whenever our weaknesses are brought up (i.e. healthcare and education) people think it's the government's responsibility to take the reigns and control the issue. However, these same people also believe that the government is always corrupt and shouldn't be allowed to touch anything.

As an American myself, this hypocrisy is why I think America gets a bad rep. No one knows what they actually want, and when they think they get something good, they praise it, until it ends up backfiring and then they start complaining again. I have a general distrust of the government, and as such I praise drawbacks on government mandated healthcare and tax cuts, mostly because that is government backing up and getting out of my business.



Yes. Our politicians just have underdeveloped brains.