Site Search:
 
Speak Korean Now!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Why are Muslim Areas Poor (Except for Oil Money)?
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Current Events Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Safron



Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Location: portland, or
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:57 am    Post subject: Why are Muslim Areas Poor (Except for Oil Money)? Reply with quote
I'm curious if anyone else has this observation besides me. It seems to me that Muslim countries and areas in general are poor except for revenue from oil. Am I seeing this incorrectly? They seem to fight for causes that are often underlyingly wealth related. See Thailand, Philipines, Africa, etc. And it's not getting any better. There may be an exception or two, but this seems to be a general trend. Was this a vast conspiracy that started at the beginning of the 20th Century? I'm curious to know the thoughts of those on the board.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ilsanman



Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, other than oil, all the middle eastern countries combined have an economy the size of....(drum roll please) Belgium!!!! One tiny European country with few natural resources.

Why are they poor? Hmmmmm....many are theocracies, they lack imagination, they are regressive, and they tell 50% of their populations (women) to shut the *beep* up or die.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mindmetoo



Joined: 02 Feb 2004
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's called the Dutch Disease:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_disease

Resources that are easy to pull out of the ground don't help your economy develop other industries. And when the state controls the distribution of oil funds...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Adventurer



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ilsanman wrote:
Yes, other than oil, all the middle eastern countries combined have an economy the size of....(drum roll please) Belgium!!!! One tiny European country with few natural resources.

Why are they poor? Hmmmmm....many are theocracies, they lack imagination, they are regressive, and they tell 50% of their populations (women) to shut the *beep* up or die.



Well, Turkey is a country with a decent sized economy. It does have decent economic growth, and it does not have oil, but it was built by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and it was also the engine behind the Ottoman Empire. Though Tunisia, has an unemployment rate of 13.9%, it is much better off economically than Egypt. It is working hard on liberalizing its economy. It has many challenges. Malaysia has a decent economy as a Muslim country. However, generally, most of the non-oil countries are not in good shape, just a few are at the moment. Part of the problem is fanatical elements and government corruption.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
riverboy



Joined: 03 Jun 2003
Location: Incheon
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Why are Jewish countries poor? Except for banking and the media....and the diamond industry.

Oh and huge government transfer payments from other countries.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Nowhere Man



Joined: 08 Feb 2004
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:07 am    Post subject: ... Reply with quote
Quote:
It seems to me that Muslim countries and areas in general are poor except for revenue from oil.


Well, a whole lot of them are in the desert. Deserts aren't much good for farming, and there are far more practical places for manufacturing than putting a factory in a desert. That's what comes to my mind.

Some traditionally profitable commodities that they did have are no longer profitable. Incense is an example of this.

And the location of the Middle East between Europe and Asia no longer carries the importance that it did since land trade routes are of less importance.

Malaysia is a Muslim country that doesn't depend on oil.

Quote:
They seem to fight for causes that are often underlyingly wealth related. See Thailand, Philipines, Africa, etc.


As far as I know, the insurgencies in Thailand and the Phillipines are separatist, at least in name.

Why did the US invade Iraq? Seems wealth-related.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Adventurer



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
riverboy wrote:
Why are Jewish countries poor? Except for banking and the media....and the diamond industry.

Oh and huge government transfer payments from other countries.


Israel gets about 4 billion from the US, but it's GDP is over 100 billion.
Israel has a vibrant economy that includes IT. You do know ICQ was originally Israeli, and that Israel has many technological firms, right?
Anyway, there is only one Jewish country. As far as the Muslim countries, many of the countries have high illiteracy rates and there is still the clining to religious fanatacism amongst many of the people of the region, and they are also in some cases under repressive regimes like the one that exists in Syria. Syria does have some diversity in its economy, relies on itself somewhat as a socialist state, but it is relatively poor.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
VanIslander



Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Same could be said of most Catholic countries.


Oh hail the Protestant work ethic! Rolling Eyes


Please. if you wanna talk about the connection between religion and economics then head for grad school.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
pugwall



Joined: 22 Oct 2006
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Malaysia is doing a fair bit better than its neighbours(bar Singapore). Indonesia not so. Pretty much shows that correlation is pretty weak.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
pugwall



Joined: 22 Oct 2006
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lebanon is loaded but not from oil as well. And they have loads of wars.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rum Jungle



Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: North Asia
PostPosted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
VanIslander wrote:
Same could be said of most Catholic countries.


Oh hail the Protestant work ethic! Rolling Eyes


Please. if you wanna talk about the connection between religion and economics then head for grad school.


You dissing the PWE?! Tell us why Catholic countries like Colombia are superior in their social/economic development. FARC! Drug Lords. Really good country there.
Back to top