Why is North America more prosperous than South America?

[Arglorand]

I'd probably say due to a difference in colonial countries. It was Spain and Portugal which got South America and they weren't as good colonisers as France and Britain.

Define "good".

[Unitaristic Regions]

I mean, just think about it! If there weren't any qualified doctors, the poor would just die, and there would be no poor!

That's a great idea! We should do that before the commehs decide to wipe out the rich to make sure no one is rich in their perfect equal world!

[Azaflaza]

I'd probably say due to a difference in colonial countries. It was Spain and Portugal which got South America and they weren't as good colonisers as France and Britain.

Define "good".

Better at developing both economically and socially. Definitely not ethically.

[Estado Paulista]

South America is less prosperous because of.

"Intervenćion"

Maybe, just maybe, America isn't the one to blame for all of our problems? It's quite easy saying "IT'S YOUR FAULT AMERICA", but the hole is way deeper than that.

[Estado Paulista]

Define "good".

Better at developing both economically and socially. Definitely not ethically.

You tell Haiti that.

[European Socialist Republic]

I mean, just think about it! If there weren't any qualified doctors, the poor would just die, and there would be no poor!

Let them die and decrease the surplus population! (I'm keeping with the holiday spirit!)

[Arglorand]

Better at developing both economically and socially. Definitely not ethically.

You tell Haiti that.

Or Jamaica.

[Azaflaza]

Better at developing both economically and socially. Definitely not ethically.

You tell Haiti that.

Isn't Haiti more Central America?

In Central Americas case, yes countries such as France and Britain used them much more like exploitation colonies.

Same goes for Jamaica.

[Unitaristic Regions]

I mean, just think about it! If there weren't any qualified doctors, the poor would just die, and there would be no poor!

Let them die and decrease the surplus population! (I'm keeping with the holiday spirit!)

Perhaps we should ban the unemployed from food as well... That'll fix unemployment!

[The Space Pirates]

I remember reading a short poem that was something like this:

"The white man came to North America for God
The white man came to South America for gold"

In other words, the European exploration was harsher in South America than in North America. While South America was compromised mostly of "exploitment colonies", North America was compromised mostly of "settler colonies".

Yep. That and geography.

[Arglorand]

Let them die and decrease the surplus population! (I'm keeping with the holiday spirit!)

Perhaps we should ban the unemployed from food as well... That'll fix unemployment!

Ban all unemployed persons from working.

It's not unemployment if they can't legally be employed. *nods*

[God Kefka]

Well... this might be stating the obvious and may come across as just slightly racist but (I think it's a clear pattern)...

maybe the French and the British were just better at colonizing then the Spanish and the Portuguese? I mean, most of North America was colonized by France and Britain while South America by the Spanish and the Portuguese. There was just something very wrong with the way the Spanish and the Portuguese colonized?

[Azaflaza]

Well... this might be stating the obvious and may come across as just slightly racist but (I think it's a clear pattern)...

maybe the French and the British were just better at colonizing then the Spanish and the Portuguese? I mean, most of North America was colonized by France and Britain while South America by the Spanish and the Portuguese. There was just something very wrong with the way the Spanish and the Portuguese colonized?

Exactly my point.

[Unitaristic Regions]

Perhaps we should ban the unemployed from food as well... That'll fix unemployment!

Ban all unemployed persons from working.

It's not unemployment if they can't legally be employed. *nods*

Genius!

How about we increase the wealth gap, and then get rid of the poor in one fell swoop? We'll increase GDP by the millions! (Infallible logic.)

[Estado Paulista]

There was just something very wrong with the way the Spanish and the Portuguese colonized?

Yes. It's called recklessly exploiting your colonies' natural resources and not being willing to develop at least a little bit of infrastucture there —apart from the infrastucture you built as a way to exploit your colonies' natural resources— and at the same time, creating an undemocratic political culture there through the way you govern your colonies.

[Chevrro]

Yeah blame the America. It has become a standard in South America.

Politicans stealing peoples money (corruption) and then blame America for that.

[Rio Cana]

more arable land outside the tropics.

Seems you never heard of the Valley of Cibao in the Dominican Republic or the Valley of Cauca in Colombia. Or Lajas Valley in Puerto Rico. Or the Valley of Vinales in Cuba , Western Cuba.

The valley of Cauca is supposed to be the worlds most beautiful valley.
Video that shows it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y3WzjCJWSU

Auto ride through the Cibao.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt0qaHYWhQU

Valley of Lajas. Really short clip. The guy says its "excellent"", since its very fertile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fzq79D_XLo

Valley of Vinales in Cuba , Western most Cuba. Another short clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHHV-JHIBCE

[Souseiseki]

Venezuela and Cuba, both socialistic dictatorships, are the problem in a nutshell. Socialists, dictator or elected, reck the economy.

Venezuela and Cuba, both socialistic dictatorships, are the problem in a nutshell. Socialists, dictator or elected, reck the economy.

...

This is ridiculous. South America is predominantly market-capitalist.

like fucking seriously dude. most of the countries in south america are capitalist and most of the ones that went socialist for anything more than a minute were murdered back into capitalism. you've just listed two countries (one of of which is fucking tiny) from the OFFICIAL OBAMA JIMMY RUSTLERS CLUB and pretended like you've made an actual point. how can they be the problem that south america has in a nusthell if most of the countries in south america are not anything like them and oh my god have i adressed your argument enough yet to call you a troll or just really really really really really bad at history, politics and possibly geography

[JJ Place]

Geography, mostly. North America, particularly the parts where Europeans first started developing colonies, tended to be better suited to European-style farming with European produce and techniques; therefore there was interest in not just exploiting the resources of said region but also 'developing' it.

Contrast that to a broad swathe of South America, which sits in and around the equator and is pretty badly suited to European agriculture and you have a scenario where early colonial development centred mostly on exploitative operations rather than 'development', and that put South America 'behind' the rest of the Americas.

Well, there we go, geographical and environmental determinism; that sounds to be the best explanation of the core reason North America is richer than South America. Certainly, there are many factors that spring from those, the factors that do actually create and shape each Continent, but I always tend to find the most reason in geography determining the fate of the inhabitants.

[Unitaristic Regions]

Venezuela and Cuba, both socialistic dictatorships, are the problem in a nutshell. Socialists, dictator or elected, reck the economy.

...

This is ridiculous. South America is predominantly market-capitalist.

like fucking seriously dude. most of the countries in south america are capitalist and most of the ones that went socialist for anything more than a minute were murdered back into capitalism. you've just listed two countries (one of of which is fucking tiny) from the OFFICIAL OBAMA JIMMY RUSTLERS CLUB and pretended like you've made an actual point. how can they be the problem that south america has in a nusthell if most of the countries in south america are not anything like them and oh my god have i adressed your argument enough yet to call you a troll or just really really really really really bad at history, politics and possibly geography

Allow me to agree .

[Souseiseki]

Yeah blame the America. It has become a standard in South America.

Politicans stealing peoples money (corruption) and then blame America for that.

what is the relation between america and corrupt politicans in south america *bonk*

[Sibirsky]

Relative free market capitalism, and the lack thereof.

[Unitaristic Regions]

Yeah blame the America. It has become a standard in South America.

Politicans stealing peoples money (corruption) and then blame America for that.

what is the relation between america and corrupt politicans in south america *bonk*

Yeah, impossible to see the link... No relation whatsoever... *nods.*

[Sibirsky]

Yeah blame the America. It has become a standard in South America.

Politicans stealing peoples money (corruption) and then blame America for that.

what is the relation between america and corrupt politicans in south america *bonk*

All politicians are corrupt.

[Souseiseki]

what is the relation between america and corrupt politicans in south america *bonk*

All politicians are corrupt.

"having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain."

sounds like most capitalists too tbh