Second world

Definition

The term "Second World" historically refers to countries aligned with the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War era, characterized by their socialist or communist economic systems. Today, it can broadly denote countries with moderate levels of economic development and standard of living, positioned between the affluent First World and less developed Third World.

Related terms

First World: Countries that are highly industrialized and have high standards of living, often associated with capitalist democracies.

Third World: Refers to countries with lower levels of economic development, often characterized by poverty and limited access to resources.

Global Stratification: The hierarchical arrangement and classification of countries based on wealth, income, level of industrialization, and access to resources