Problem of Uneven Economic Development of the World Economy: Essence and Causes

Abstract

The paper looks at the problem of uneven economic development in terms of processes of globalisation and integration and analyses current issues and prospects. The problem is analysed retrospectively to estimate the reasons of global unevenness. The find-ings are used to determine the current situation on the global economic arena and answer the question why some countries are rich and others are poor. It is stressed that that legacy of colonialism in the world is the primary reason of uneven economic development. Yet, the industrial revolutions, globalisation and regionalisation of trade had an impact on the current division of the world into " North and South " .