ANTHROPOLITICIAN IN THIS ISSUE: What Sets Us Apart: A Comparison of Global Prosperity
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NOVEMBER 2012 Features 5 What Sets Us Apart
ANTHROPOLITICIAN weighs out living standards between Russia, North Korea and Uganda.
Departments 17 Political Cartoon 18 Top 10 Items of the Month
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Many of today’s historians and politicians believe that globalization resulted in significant changes of living standards. From the age of Imperialism to today’s free trade market, globalization and internationalism have had dramatic (negative and positive) impacts on the human race. Two months ago, our journalists and photographers took to the streets of Russia, North Korea and Uganda to collect statistics and determine each country’s standard of living. To come to a conclusion, They explored aspects such as life expectancy, gross domestic product per capita, and literacy rate.
RUSSIA INFORMATION
who then appoints the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, or prime minister. Russia is geographically the largest The life expectancy of an average country on the planet. It covers a Russian is 66.46 years. total of 17,075,400 square The Russian gross domestic kilometres. The country’s official product per capita is currently language is Russian and current $17,000. In 1955 is was $4,200. 9.8% population is estimated to be of Russians are currently employed in approximately 143,300,000 people. the primary industry. 4% of the GDP contribute to military investments. Russia belongs to the APEC (AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation) trade bloc. One of Russia’s highest values is education. Elementary, junior high and high school are public services that are paid for by taxes. As a result, 99.6% of Russians are capable of speaking, reading and writing in Russian. This is a 2.6% increase since 1955, when the literacy rate was 97%. Russia is a federal semiRussia’s HDI, or Human presidential republic, meaning it has Development Index, is 0.755. This is both a president and a prime considered relatively average for a minister. Citizens elect the president, developed, prosperous nation.
History 980 – Vladimir The Great, Grand Price of Kiev, is the ruler of Kievan Rus. He declares Orthodox Christianity as the official religion of Russia.
the execution of millions of people, and strived to eliminate the members of Russia’s highest class (known as Boyars).
1682 – Peter the Great became the Tsar of Russia. He expanded its territory significantly, led Russia 1547 – Grand Duke to the victory of Ivan “The Terrible” IV several wars (including is crowned the first the Great Northern Tsar of Russia. He led War,) and introduced consecutive modern Western unsuccessful wars European culture to against Sweden and Russia. He built St Poland. In an attempt Petersburg as a to establish military “passage to the discipline, he created a modern Western group of secret police World.” called the “Oprichnina” 1917 – The Russian that carried out his Revolution was led by commands. He ordered Vladimir Lenin
(pictured below). His goal was to overthrow Tsar Nicholas II and establish communism in Russia. Created was the Soviet Union, in which communism was never completely reached, but socialism was indeed established. Millions of people died due to famine and draught.
1939 – Russia actively participated in World War II. The Russians put an end to WWII by forcing Hitler’s Nazis back to Berlin shortly before an attempt to invade Moscow was put into action.
ISSUES UNJUST PRESIDENCY The current president of Russia is Vladimir Putin and the prime minister is Dmitry Medvedev. Although Russia is technically a democracy, it is considered not free. Putin does all in his power to extend his presidency. According to the Russian Constitution, the president’s limit to his position is two 4-year terms. Putin has extended the period between election to 6 years instead of 4, and simply switches his position with Medvedev for a single term every 8 years. In December 2011 the people of Russia got so suspicious of Putin’s eternal authority that they launched a protest accusing the Russian Government of discarding their votes and placing Putin’s United Russia party into the Duma. The State Duma is equivalent to Canada’s House of Commons, where parties earn seats based on the number of people that voted for them. REDUCED LIFE EXPECTANCY The life expectancy in Russia has been gradually decreasing due to stress levels (and people drowning their problems with alcohol,) and a population decline resulting from people not reproducing. A trend was recognized in the Russian middle class between the time of 1955 (when life expectancy was 71.34 years) and 2012: many have been procrastinating having children if their economic situations do not allow for the child to thrive. AIR AND WATER POLLUTION According to the 10 Most Polluted Places on Earth list, Chernobyl Ukraine, is the most polluted city on the planet. Number 2, 8, and 10 are taken by Russian cities Dzerzhinsk, Norilsk, and Dalnegorsk. Although Russia’s forest geography is the largest in the world, constant factory production and burning of fossil fuels during the early establishment of the Soviet Union resulted in a massive pollution legacy. In an attempt to make Russia as prosperous as possible, the Russian Government did not take into consideration the environmental impacts their reign would cause.
very focused on the development of military equipment and training, mainly to protect the ruling dictator. North Korea is an Asian nation with People are not allowed to leave the a Human Development Index of country. North Korea does not belong 0.618. It spans over a total of 120,540 to a trade bloc. square kilometers, inhabited by 24,554,000 people with a GDP/capita of approximately $1,800. This is double the 1955 GDP/capita of $900. North Korea’s primary industry employs 35% of the population.
The literacy rate in North Korea is 99%. 97.2% of North Koreans were capable of reading, writing and speaking the official language North Korea is perhaps the most (Korean) in 1955. isolated country in the world. It is the Most citizens live approximately planet’s least democratic nation, 69.2 years. This is significantly longer being a complete dictatorship. 22% of than the 52 years North Koreans citizens’ annual GDP are contributed would average in 1955. to military spending. North Korea is
South Korea were formed.
country suffers a massive famine due to Jong Ill’s ignorance of 1910 – Korea is food deficiency and declared as part of the poverty. He ordered Empire of Japan. This the killings of occurs because Japan individuals he believed is in need of Korea’s were against him, natural resources. conducted public executions, and sent people to political prison camps where 1950 – Kim Il Sung, the they were held 12 first dictator of North times longer than Korea, decided to people in Nazi expand his country’s concentration camps 1945 – World War II. borders by invading during World War II. Nuclear bombs are South Korea. North and dropped by the US on South Korea are Hiroshima and technically still at war, Nagasaki, Japan. since its end was never Japanese surrender declared. Korean rule to Americas, who invade the territory. Soviet 2011 – Death of Kim troops had already Jong Ill, allegedly the occupied the north, so most successful the US took charge of dictator in history. His the south. Korea was son Kim Jong Un split in two by a 2.5 1994 – Death of Kim becomes dictator of mile wide militaryIl Sung. His son and North Korea. protected zone 38 successor Kim Jong Il degrees North of the becomes dictator of equator. North and North Korea. The
FOOD DEFICIENCY AND FAMINE North Korea suffered a massive famine between 1994 and 1998. Approximately 600,000 - 900,000 people died of starvation and hunger-related diseases. Today, due to the rising prices of food, nearly 1 million people die of starvation each year. A humanitarian visiting North Korea in early 2012 told our reporters, "There's always going to be a food shortage, the problem is, what they can produce, the best always goes to the best (top of society).“ After the ruling family, the top of society is considered the military, which consists of an estimated 1.2 million people. Because North Korea does not belong to a trade bloc, resources are provided by neighbouring countries in exchange for safety from a nuclear threat North Korea constantly declares. Most countries today don’t take the threats seriously because the North Korea government continuously threatens, and threatens, but have yet to actually drop a nuclear bomb.
GENDER INEQUALITY AND INFRINGEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS Throughout the late 1900s, Asia experienced a financial crisis during which several workers were laid off. According to the Women Under Siege Project, a significantly higher amount of females were laid off than males, strictly for the reason that males are considered the head of the household. Women that fled to China were repatriated and imprisoned by North Korean soldiers at political prison camps. Those who were suspected of being impregnated by Chinese men were forced to abort, labor-inducing drugs injected into their wombs. Their “unpure” babies were wrapped in newspapers and placed in buckets to die. When one woman refused to get an abortion, male prisoners were commanded to jump on her stomach until she was forced into labor. Guards continue to beat and abuse victims of political prison camps everyday. Two teaspoon of food are given, so most people with weak stomachs die within a few weeks of being imprisoned.
UGANDA INFORMATION
Uganda is a middle-sized African country surrounded by Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is home to an estimated 35,873,253 people who have an average life expectancy of 53.45 years. The Ugandan life expectancy in 1955 was 44.8 years. 69.9% of the population is literate today, the literacy rate having been 49% in 1995. 82% of Ugandans are employed in the primary industry. This makes the annual GDP/capita currently $1,300. It was as low as $270 in 1955. The nation belongs to two trade blocs, one being EAC (East African Communities) and the other being COMESA (Common
Market for Eastern and Southern Africa). 2.2% of GDP taxes are contributed to the Uganda People’s Defence Force. Uganda is a republic, its president elected by the people. Although the population have power over who is their leader, Uganda is only considered party free due to how much influence the Uganda army has. The country’s human development index is 0.446. This is a low HDI however an increase in the 1955 HDI of 0.429.
HISTORY
president Julius Nyerere offers 1962 – Ugandan sanctuary to Obote, prime minister Milton who flees Uganda Obote (pictured below) along with 20,000 leads the country to refugees. Meanwhile independence from Britain. He then Idi Amin takes over becomes president in presidential position. 1966. Human rights do not
1971 – Milton Obote is overthrown by the Uganda People’s Defence Force. Attack is led by general Idi Amin. Tanzanian
exist, and 300,000 Ugandans are killed by the Uganda Army during Amin’s violent reign. 1972 – Ugandan exiles in Tanzania make the unsuccessful attempt to invade Uganda and remove Amin from power.
1978 – Amin declares war on Tanzania. 1979 – Uganda Tanzanian War comes to an end, Idi Amin overthrown. Milton Obote returns to presidency.
1987 – A rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army is formed. They lead a mass genocide against the Acholi tribe, slaughtering and displacing millions of people. Oppression of human rights by the LRA continues today.
ISSUES CHILD SOLIDERS Over the past two decades, 30,000, children have been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army. They observe nothing but war and violence for nearly the rest of their lives. The traumatising effects of being a child solider were exposed in a documentary entitled Kony 2012. The film was produced by the Invisible Children Organization to raise awareness on the issue of child involvement in war. It revolved around the current LRA leader Josheph Kony. In 2011, the United Nations pronounced North Uganda “the worst place in the world to be if you are a child.” POVERTY AND HUNGER 40% of the population lack access to potable water. 37% of Ugandans live below the poverty line, earning $1.25 per day. It is estimated that 1.2 million people suffer HIV/AIDS within the country’s borders. Unfortunately there has been no education system for the past 20 years. HUMAN VIOLENCE Uganda is extremely unsafe, people always living in fear that their village will be raided by rebel soldiers, their hut set on fire in the middle of the night, or their children abducted in the light of day. People are forced to kill for their own survival. Children of the LRA are ordered to murder other youth and their families. Otherwise, their own limbs will be severed or lives taken.
C American Dollars
It is no secret that in the developed world we take our opportunities, freedoms and luxuries for granted. Hopefully this article opened the eyes of our readers and raised their appreciation of the prosperous lives they have been blessed with. After two months of ongoing interviews and reports, the time has come to answer our burning question: out of the three countries ANTHROPOLITICIAN explored, which one has the highest living standard?
20,000 15,000
1955
10,000
2012
5,000
0 Russia
North Korea
Uganda
80 Years
60 40
1955
20
2012
0
Russia
North Korea
Uganda
1. Russia is a large nation with a rich history and protected human rights. Its citizens have the freedom to vote, make economic choices of their own, and access legal assistance when necessary. Social and economic globalization have affected Russia positively. Social globalization allowed for the country’s modernization in 1692. Russia joining the APEC trade bloc broadened the market for Russian consumers and increased their quality of life. 2. North Korea is the least free nation in the world. Although most people’s basic needs such as food, water, shelter and clothing are met (even if to a limited degree), North Koreas may never gain political freedom. Human rights barely exist in North Korea, and no one is allowed to leave its borders. Globalization has affected North Korea positively as well. Although the nation is incredibly isolated, constant nuclear threats have been its strategy for obtaining resources from other countries without officially being involved in trade. 3. Uganda is the poorest country of the three, with the lowest HDI as well. It’s unsafe, poverty and hunger stricken environment has led to civil war and genocide. People have democratic rights but few basic needs are met. The lack of child rights and government involvement of public protection result in a very low quality of life. Uganda was affected negatively when it was colonized by Britain. The nation lost political and economic sovereignty and was left without knowledge of organized function when independence was regained. At the same time, its participation in two trade blocs has integrated it further into the global community and made cooperation between neighbouring countries possible.
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