20 Examples of First World Countries

The denomination of First world to characterize some countries dates from the end of the Second World War, and the consolidation of the Cold War as an instance of dispute over world power: nationalist totalitarianism defeated, there was room for a dispute between the bloc of countries under the influence of the powers capitalists, and the cluster of countries that responded to the needs of the Soviet Union, the socialist countries.

Progressively, the group of the former took on the name of the first world, while the latter acquired the name of the second world.

First world countries

In the facts, U.S and the countries of Western Europe, as well as some from Oceania and others from Asia were part of the first world. It was, without a doubt, one of the countries with the highest concentration of income in the world and one of the first to have experienced technological progress: it was there that the evolution and development of the productive forces had taken place in light of the first years of capitalism and the industrial revolution, and from there they always remained in the highest echelons of world development. The quality of life of the first world countries also obeyed the highest standards for the great majority.

First World at the end of the 20th century

When the dispute with the socialist bloc ended, by the end of the 20th century, the first world was consolidated as the bulk of the countries that were Vanguard on the planet: most of the wealth and technology was produced there, at a time when these goods were beginning to be the most coveted in the world.

It was for this reason, in part, that while communication and physical transportation tools multiplied, a process of globalization began whereby cultural and consumption patterns were also replicated throughout the world.

Thus, the ways of living that existed in the first world were replicated to most of the countries that were outside of it, of course on a smaller scale and with lower development standards. The good economic indicators, the unique supremacy as a model of production and the exportation of cultural patterns made the supremacy of the first world seem to have no end.

Resurgence of the emerging

Currently, first world countries continue to lead the international economic development. However, the successive increasingly frequent crises caused the pace of growth to slow down considerably, and in contrast, the countries that grew the most were some that did not belong to that group: Asia, South America and South Africa offer opportunities for very high development.

The economic projections they assure that these will be the strongest countries in the medium term, and the first world has taken note of this: their form of dispute is no longer bellicose or symbolic as in previous years, but rather aims at integration and common interests .

Examples of First World countries

Next, the list of the countries known as the first world today: