Why is there still 2nd or 3rd world countries.

Why is that when america is so advanced and europe looks like its doing the same with things like technology,medicine,well being of life etc. There's still those area's that are under old age governments and cultures that dont want to progress to a new way of life. Why is that?

In my view North America is kinda like how you start in games similar to Civilization 5 we got our shit given to us to an extent and then were told to expand pretty simple in comparison to other places. But at the same time you have to look at natural resources, If you think about it it all depends on what your area can grow and if your area has lots of resources i live in Canada which has more water then the rest of the world, So that is one of the reasons we can easily be a first world country but a lot of places don't have that or if they do there government is usually corrupt or not influential enough to do anything about it.

For the most part i would assume with third world countries especially its not that they don't want to change it's that they can't because something is holding them back.

Also gotta remember Europe as well as the America's have there own problem so it's not like they can easily meddle in other place's affairs and help out. The way i think about it it's like your neighbor hasn't paid rent yet you have just enough for your own rent but people still pressure you to want to help him pay his, Not the best analogy but best i can think of at the moment.

EDIT: you may want to add your own thoughts btw.
Edit2: Can't find this in SD without looking through my past posts just me or am i really that incompetent tonight -_-

Well the United States was built not even 200 years ago by colonists, so we already had more advanced technology than a lot of countries. Then there is stuff like the Industrial Revolution, which affected the US a lot as well. Much of the US' foundation is upon borrowing stuff from multiple cultures, to create its own.

Also some countries just don't like the idea of abandoning their way of life. Also there's people like the Amish. Considering how our culture is compared to the close-knit nature of some villages, I don't blame them.

A great many of those third-world countries are ones that got royally shafted by empires such as the British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Belgian, Austro-Hungary, Prussian, Ottoman, and Russian.

Getting conquered and ousted or via trade for their goods; They'd get paid for their wares, which proved to be quite lucrative- but then they'd end up in an economic chokehold before they knew it. The newly rich would essentially become the lapdogs of the empires, since their welfare depended on the trade (since their resources would be worth more outside than rather simply selling within), which encourages a strict regime of class segregation and despotism to ensure their fortunes- the rest of the population be damned.

And with every dictator that gets overthrown, a new one simply takes their place. Mired in radical religious, economic, and political conflict.

Corruption, lack of discipline (Government/Civilians), Sovereignty and more.

I dont think its so much they dont want to change their way of life, it has a lot to do with political climate, stability of the nation, population, and a variety of other things. I doubt 3rd world countries want to be 3rd world countries.

Because they're in the process of transition toward fixing whatever socioeconomic and political problems they have? Tell me, do you plant a seed and expect a tree to come out of the ground within a week with a hundred rings in it's trunk? Things take time, and countries and groups take more time than others.

Well, a country usually specialise in something, and they trade that for something that they need - something that other country specialise.

Imagine a country like Zimbabwe, where you really can't think of anything that they specialise in (well, poverty). How would they trade and actually get something that they need?

I personally believe that the key is the resources each country has up their sleeves and the management of those resources. Developed countries has enough resources and done well in the management of those resources. But, not all country have the ability or the resources.

Lack of infrastructure.

Because money, a man-made currency, rules everything.

I second.

Credit.
Trade.
Government.
Natural resources and the availability to capitalize it on the self business or market level without foreign control.
Industrial level.
And Travel market.

CORRUPTION, IGNORANCE AND NEGLECT

this is what the world is. there are lower and higher