The World is Getting Better (Despite Popular Belief)

Based on actual facts, the world is getting better, not worse as deemed by many. The fact is, “the world is in better shape…by all measures of mankind appears to be better off than it ever was.” At least, this is what veteran CBC News foreign correspondent Joe Schlesinger thinks, and he was generous enough to support his claim for those who needed convincing.

There is a general view that the world is a violent place. Poverty is all around and unemployment is a problem in every country. On top of all that, the environment is in such a sorry state of degradation. However, the figures disagree with this sullen point of view.

A decline in violence

In his book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature,” published in 2011, Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker puts the rate of 21st century violence to 3/100th of 1%. Prof. Pinker said that violence is at a decline, despite what we see in the evening news. This is in comparison to the 3% rate that he gave to the 20th century which was characterized by two great world wars, revolutions, and violations of human rights the world over. We’re definitely better off than the people who lived in the Middle Ages, which he rated 10%, and prehistoric times (15%).

Peace and prosperity

Throughout the world, there are many independent countries that are now experiencing peace and prosperity after being freed from the colonials. There is now peace in Europe and the continent is fully recovered from the horrors of concentration camps and finally rid of terrible dictators. South America is also freed of strongmen and dictators and prosperous democracies are now emerging economic powers. In Asia, despite the lingering wars and poverty, many countries have managed to come a long way in the past 50 years. India and China are the best examples. China’s middle class is reportedly as numerous as the current population of the United States.

The numbers are encouraging

The UN reports that in the past two decades, one billion people escaped “extreme poverty” and the number of undernourished people fell from 23.2% (1990-1992) to 14.9% (2010-2012). According to the World Health Organization, HIV in children living in sub-Saharan Africa is down by 50%.

The Office of National Statistics of the United Kingdom claims that more than 1/3 of babies born at present will live to be a hundred years old. The general consensus is that babies born today have a life expectancy 20 years longer than the average in the 1950s.

More people are educated and literate. Compared to the ‘70s illiteracy is halved today, and 85% of adults have the ability to read and write. The UNESCO reports that the number of children in primary school increased as much as 90%.

Perhaps one of the most dramatic improvements of the past few decades concerns the expansion and greater recognition of the rights and roles of women. Developed countries have seen women step up to important roles, with some wives earning more than their husbands. Women attending universities also outnumber men. There is a definite move forward in terms of gender equality in developed countries, but developing countries and certain cultures are a long way from achieving inroads in women empowerment.

Faced with the challenges of dealing with urgent environmental issues that threaten man’s way of life and the shadow of doomsday predictions always just beyond the corner, human beings have shown resilience and adaptability. We are still here and there is reason to hope that things will only get better.

Photo Credit: There’s a lot for the next generation to smile about