Question

During the Cold War, the world was divided into three separate "worlds". The First World referred to the US, Western Europe and any place that embraced capitalism and democracy. What did the Second World refer to?

Answer 1

The Second World during the Cold War referred to countries aligned with the Soviet Union, including Eastern Bloc nations with socialist economies. These countries had moderate development and standards of living, falling between the advanced First World and the less developed Third World.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the Cold War, the term Second World referred to countries aligned with the Soviet Union and its form of government, including the Communist states of Eastern Europe. These nations, delineated by the infamous Iron Curtain, had socialist economies and were part of the Eastern Bloc, contrasted with the capitalist First World. The Second World countries were considered to have moderate economies and standards of living, not as advanced as the First World, but more developed than the Third World countries.

The classification into First, Second, and Third World countries was based on various aspects such as economic development, standard of living, and political alliances. European nations under the influence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War period, including those sectioned off by the formidable barriers of the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall, were quintessential examples of Second World countries.