Andhini Octa Maharatih, Prattyush Kala and Ayanangsha Maitra
PRIOR TO THE EXISTENCE of the term Global South in the vocabulary, the world was divided into three broad identical categories. The First World consisted of the United States and its Western allies. The Second World comprised the Soviet Union and its satellite states in the Eastern Bloc. And the Third World, which represented the liberated, non-aligned, or underdeveloped nations in a fractured century . The term Global South distinguishes geographic regions experiencing economic inequality and the lasting effects of colonialism.
An American playwright turned writer Carl Oglesby coined it during a period of political clarity. The Vietnam War revealed the flaws of American liberalism, and Oglesby – once a technical writer for a defence contractor – became one of its strongest critics. His 1965 speech at the Washington Monument for Students for a Democratic Society combined Southern storytelling with sharp political analysis, arguing that both liberals and conservatives used democratic language to mask imperial ambition.Thus the term Global South became his shorthand for nations harmed by this system- countries shaped by colonialism, extraction, and exclusion.
Oglesby’s intellectual legacy is reflected in works such as Containment and Change (1967, with Richard Shaull), which dissected Cold War liberalism; The Yankee and Cowboy War (1976), a study of elite factionalism in U.S. politics; and Ravens in the Storm (2008), a memoir chronicling the rise and fall of SDS. His vocabulary terms like “imperial liberalism,” “radical centrism,” and “Yankee vs. Cowboy”- unveiled the hidden architecture of American power.
Oglesby highlighted how colonized regions were exploited for resources. The term first appeared in Commonwealth magazine in 1969 and remains relevant today. He went on to argue that the North’s dominance over the Global South had persisted for centuries, peaking during the Vietnam War. More importantly, Oglesby emphasized that the Global South was defined not by geography but by shared political, cultural, and economic inequalities rooted in colonialism.
Initially, the term saw limited use, as many other labels existed at that time. However, after the Cold War, it gained traction among European and American academics who viewed earlier terms as inadequate. The phrase “Global South” grew in popularity when the UN’s 2003 “Forging a Global South” project promoted development cooperation among southern nations to reduce dependence on the North. Since then, it has become a key concept in development and international relations studies, appearing widely in publications and summits to strengthen cooperation among Global South nations.
The Debate Surrounding the Term
The idea behind the term Global South evolved from debates about underdevelopment caused by colonialism. Geographically, the term refers to nations in the Southern Hemisphere – Africa, Asia, and Latin America – facing economic disparities with the North. Its roots trace back to the term Third World, introduced by a French demographer Alfred Sauvy in 1952 to describe countries outside the Western (First) and Eastern (Second) blocs during the Cold War. Sociologist Peter Worsley later expanded on it in The Third World: A Vital New Force in International Affairs, detailing non-aligned countries dissatisfied with both blocs’ political systems.
Over time, “Third World” faced criticism for implying dependency and backwardness. As industrialization advanced, alternative classifications emerged—LDCs (Least Developed Countries), LLDCs (Landlocked Developing Countries), and SIDS (Small Island Developing States). Yet, inequalities between North and South persisted. The term Global South gained preference for being more neutral and emphasizing development and geopolitical relations rather than hierarchy.
Carl Oglesby: Personal Life and Professional Work
Carl Oglesby was born in 1935 into a working-class family and experienced class inequality in the US. He began his career as a playwright but later became politically active in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he joined the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and rose to its presidency. Known for his sharp criticism of U.S. policies in Asia, he became an icon of the 1965 anti-war demonstrations following President Lyndon Johnson’s bombing of North Vietnam. His speech “Let Us Shape the Future” marked his prominence as a leader of the anti-war movement.
Throughout his life, Oglesby was often labelled a radical by politicians and academics. His influential book The Yankee and Cowboy War (1976) metaphorically portrayed the “Yankee” as the Global North and the “Cowboy” as the emerging Global South. The book examined Washington’s internal conflicts and high-profile political cases like the deaths of John F. Kennedy and Dorothy Hunt. Oglesby passed away in September 2011 at age 76.
How the Private Enterprises Perceived the Global South
The British imperialism began with the East India company’s activities. The western private enterprises are widely criticized for exploiting the resources of the South. The Global South’s dependence on Northern investment is a hallmark of modern globalization. Multinational corporations (MNCs) often view it as a lucrative opportunity due to abundant resources, affordable labour, and expanding markets. As discussed in Eva Nelson and Martin Fougere’s article “Views on Building Partnerships with Corporations: An Agonistic Struggle in the UN and Beyond,” MNCs regard the Global South as a “goldmine” for investment, exploiting both natural and human resources at low cost—a practice known as offshoring.
While these ventures promise growth, they often perpetuate neo-colonial tendencies, where Northern dominance continues through corporate influence. Private entities maintain their image through Corporate Social Responsibility activities and sustainability programs while benefiting from cheap labour and weak regulation. Despite positive rhetoric about development, many corporations fail to meet Western labour or ethical standards in the Global South.
Today, the Global South has evolved beyond postcolonial critique the term now represents a coalition of low- and middle-income countries asserting agency in global governance. From BRICS summits to climate negotiations, the Global South demands equity, reparative justice, and epistemic recognition. Though criticized for vagueness, the term’s symbolic power endures in a multipolar world. Corporations once viewed the Global South as unstable and marginal but now see it as essential for supply chain resilience, ESG innovation, and digital transformation. With two-thirds of the world’s workers and a growing consumer base, its strategic value is undeniable. Yet Oglesby’s question still resonates: Who gains from this integration, and who sets the rules of exchange?
Revisiting Oglesby’s vision reveals more than a historical term— the term offers a critical lens on power, resistance, and justice. His ideas continue to challenge narratives of dominance and development, reminding us that the Global South is not merely a geography, but a proposition for a more just world.
[ Authors work for COGGS. ]