As we talked about in sociology, the wide range of social institutions are the primary interests, necessities, and is very important in shaping someone or somethings identity. If you think about it, everything on this planet has an identity or value, including countries and religions. Economics is a word people may not be to familiar with, but its literal definition is"the branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth." It is greatly responsible for goods, services, and making choices on allocating resources to satisfy an individual, business, or nations wants and needs. The study of economics created numerous theories about the nature and inner workings of humanity. I will be comparing two different countries followed by their social groups and behaviors. The purpose is to have an idea of what other countries (rather then Canada and America) have to deal with. To learn how they survive and their economic progress and obstacles. Its always nice to look at other places to be thankful or learn something new. I think economy has the secret power in shaping a country, therefore culture, religion, family, and finally and individual. Economic power may also have one or more entities in a position to negotiate terms that affect the future direction of a country. I'd like to see the difference in these positions between my two ethnicities: Ethiopia and Yemen.
Introduction
Ethiopia is Africa's oldest independent country. Its capital is Addis Ababa, also the largest city with a population of 2,739,551 inhabitants. Being the second largest in terms of population, Ethiopia has a unique and impressive cultural heritage, being the home of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church - one of the oldest Christian denominations - and a monarchy that ended only in the coup of 1974. However, Islam is the second largest religion in Ethiopia (after Christianity) over 33% are practicing it, including myself. In terms of land or regions Muslims occupies 80% of it!
Drought and civil conflict left Ethiopia in a state of turmoil until 1991, when the 13th Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, brought hope and stability to this loving and hopeful country.
Yemen is the origin land of all Arabs in the Middle East. Many powerful kingdoms were in Yemen, including the Sabaeans. Yemen was very important in the trade of spices, and in ancient times it was an important center of trade and power. Its capital and largest city is Sana'a. Yemen's territory includes more than 200 islands, the largest of which is Socotra. Yemen is sadly one of the poorest and least developed countries in the Arab World. There is a 35% unemployment rate, which means only 35 out of every 100 people in the labor force don't have a job. Today, Yemen has over 20 million people who mainly speak the beautiful language of Arabic.
The Secret power of Economics
Hiba Alhuttam
HSP3U
Ms. Kautsky
June 14, 2019
A brief overview
Although they are two different countries they do share some similarities
Knowing about the two countries, travelling there, and have both parents, and family who lived/lives there, i personally would say the utmost similarity they share is poverty. Poverty in Ethiopia remains a major concern. One of the poorest countries in the Middle East, Yemen is currently faced with some of the most momentous poverty issues in the whole world as well.
Almost all the reasons of poverty for Ethiopia and Yemen are the same, one being water shortage. Yemen is ranked as the seventh most water-stressed country on the planet. Ethiopia has only 34% of its rural population with access to clean and improved water. Approximately 90% Yemen's water is put towards its largely ineffective agricultural practices leaving almost nothing for its citizens. In Sana’a, Yemen’s capital city, tap water is only available once every four days for its 2 million people. It has been estimated that in 10 years, Sana’as economy is on the road to collapse and run out of water for everyone. Sad yet? See video below https://www.nytimes.com/video/multimedia/100000003676387/water-shortage-in-yemen-amid-coalition-bombardment.html
Another similarity is forms of power. These people, typically men, are in power of the countries economy but do little to nothing to help support their people. The cost of Yemen's uprising and its collapsing economy, poses the highest threat to the families, education, and healthcare. It takes one institution of economy to change all the other institution listened above, which is why good economy is crucial. Unsustainable economic growth of a Yemen and Ethiopia surely had a negative impact on the national income and level of employment, which will result in lower living standards in the future.
Both Ethiopia and Yemen have a high risk of major infectious diseases. Due to the insufficient water, food or waterborne diseases are very similar compared to these two countries. Bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever are just some of the many things children and adults suffer with as they have no hope of a better life. You can also get malaria and dengue fever which are vector-borne diseases, followed by animal contact disease in Ethiopia mainly. The people with many different conditions, economy troubles, government failing to help, families dying, no food, education, or a simple tap of water are still smiling. What does that say about us?
Some export similarities:
Coffee
Qat
Live animals (ex: dried and salted fish)
Oils (ex: crude oi)
Copper
Leather products
Vegetables such as: green beans, snow peas, broccoli, asparagus, okra, cabbages, cauliflower, and eggplant
Fun fact: Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. Experts say that Ethiopia is the only place that coffee grew natively. The repeated story of Kaldi is told over and over again by my grandfather who lives in Ethiopia at the moment. Kaldi was a goat herder who discovered coffee after witnessing his goats unnatural energy from eating the beans!
Differences between Ethiopia and Yemen
The difference in Ethiopian and Yemen is that Ethiopia is taking more action. The people of Yemen have given up, government is helpless and greedy, families have passed away, and no one is there to help their dying bodies of hunger and misery. These behaviors are turning into violence due to the shortage of everything one needs to survive. With more than 85,000 children dead from starvation and diseases spreading throughout the villages, each heartbreak of a these innocent children builds up aggression in these people. Throughout the news we hear "Yemen crisis," "200 families dead in Yemen bombing," "Air strikes hit north of Yemen's capital." The social institution that has to shape us as a society is instead shaping a cruel world no one can see or feel unless your the 2 year old girl who lost her parents from a missile hitting their home.
The most rebellious form of systematic discrimination is genocide. It is ranked the most severe compared to all other systematic discrimination. Although Yemen faces almost all the terms you can think of, genocide is the eye catching one. The conflict in Yemen began and developed the same way many other current conflicts in the Middle East began, with a failure in transition of power. The genocide in this country started in the fall of 2011, when the President Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to give his power to the President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. President Hadi struggled to lead which set the stage for a civil war in Yemen to begin in 2015. The people of Yemen rebelled against Hadi's power and those loyal to him because of the bad norms, roles, and values he gave them as a country. Some economic values are making money of course, to support an institution, but Hadi failed to do so with inefficient production of goods being one of the many reasons. Other economic values are to pay bills on time, these people didn't have any homes to even do so. As the people rebel, Saudi Arabia began an intervention effort. An international coalition began with the United States, United Kingdom, and other western countries. Saudi Arabia started an airstrike campaign that still goes on today.
The problem is definitely not the people, the problem is mass media. Media is a source we go to for information, we trust in it but the reality is that there is a deadly silence that allow problems to grow. This agent of socialization is only aiming for the rush of clicks, rather then the good, real story. As we know, bad news is what dominates the headlines, and we as humans always fall for it. The Mass media is a significant force in modern culture. Sociologists refer to this as a mediated culture, meaning it changes between people allowing them to argue and then provide an agreement or reconciliation. This further more adds stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice. Media reflects the false behavioral pattern of Yemen as a society.
This comic shows police officers as Television, and computers. We see this in our everyday lives, when someone is in a uniform you automatically think of that person being the ones in control, and of high rankings. The humans in chains looking down are the ones getting controlled by the TV's and media exposed to us. And the different cultures and ethnicities of these people show how it can effect anyone and everyone. The people of Yemen are not stubborn or violent, they just had enough of their economy failure giving them the option of death being more peaceful then life, so war is the only solution to them.
Conclusion
To sum up, Economy operates differently around the world. Ethiopia and Yemen are two third world countries thriving to survive. family, religion, or education are not only the major factors in shaping an identity. It is ones economy that allows a person to become what they tern out to be.The Yemen people are loving people who allowed the negative economic changes of power, greed, and carelessness change them to become violent people media shows them to be. The ministry of finance has projected Ethiopia‘s economic to expand by 9% in 2020 and if violence can be contained by mid-2019, Yemen economy will soon be the better country it deserves to be, providing not only water but fresh fruit, homes, and education, and a high employment rate.
Ethiopia, on the other hand, is the second most populous country in Africa and is a one-party state with a planned growing economy. For more than a decade before 2016, Ethiopia grew at a rate between 8% and 11% annually, they became one of the fastest growing states among the 188 IMF member countries. This growth was driven by government investment, unlike Yemen with problems with politics. Ethiopia grew in infrastructure, as well as sustained progress in the agricultural and service sectors. More than 70% of Ethiopia’s population grew in employed, while Yemen in going down Ethipia is determined to succeed.
A video you can watch to see the economic development of Ethiopia:
The sate is heavily engaged in their economy. Ongoing infrastructure projects include:
industrial parks
rails
roads
power production
airports
distribution
While coffee remains the largest foreign exchange earner, Ethiopia is diversifying exports while Yemen has nothing left to give...
Access to food and other critical commodities such as medical equipment is limited across Yemen due to security issues on the ground. The Social Welfare Fund, a cash transfer program for Yemen’s poor people is no longer operational and has not made any disbursements since late 2014.