Low-income countries are primarily agrarian
nations with little industrialization and low levels
of national and personal income. Examples of lowincome
countries are many of the nations of Africa
and Asia, particularly India and the People’s Republic
of China, where people typically work the land
and are among the poorest in the world. However,
generalizations are diffi cult to make because there
are wide diff erences in income and standards of living
within many nations (see Chapter 8, “Global
Stratifi cation”). Th roughout this text, we will continue
to develop our sociological imaginations by
examining social life in the United States and other
nations.
Developing a better understanding of diversity
and tolerance for people who are diff erent from us
is important for our personal, social, and economic
well-being. Whatever your race/ethnicity, class, sex,
or age, are you able to include in your thinking the
perspectives of people who are quite dissimilar in
experiences and points of view? Before answering
h