UN Statistics of World per
Capita Income
“There are roughly 6 billion people in the world. One-third
live in two countries: 1.3 billion in China and almost 1 billion
in India. The UN categorizes forty-six nations as ‘high human
development.’ In this group the United States ranks no. 3,
behind Canada and Norway. Slightly more than 1 billion people live
in these countries enjoying a per capita income of $21,799. The
UN labels ninety-three countries as ‘medium human development’
(e.g. Costa Rica, the Philippines, Mexico, China, Egypt, India,
Kenya, Zimbabwe). There are more than 4 billion people in this group,
with a per capital income average of $3,458). (Note: China’s
per capita is $3,105 and India’s is $2,077). In the ‘low
income development group’ there are thirty-seven nations (e.g.,
Haiti, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Nepal, Senegal, Yemen) with about 700
million people living on an average per capita income of $994”
(Sparr 122).
(Statistics are from the UN Developments Program’s Human Development
Report 2000.)
- “Discuss why and how this situation has come to exist.
Some people may not feel much personal guilt, while others may
be angry and overwhelmed by it.
- How can we be aware of the institutions, policies and processes
that create inequalities and poverty and maintain or exacerbate
them?
- Do we understand (as US residents) how we participate personally
and collectively in structures or systems of sinfulness?
- In what ways are we oppressors or do we benefit from economic
oppression?
- In what ways do we lose or get hurt by economic oppression?
- How do we use our power and position collectively to make a
difference?” (Sparr 124).
Pamela Sparr, Study Guide in Elsa Tamez, The Scandalous
Message of James: Faith Without Works is Dead, revised edition.
(New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2002.)
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