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The idea that international trade is the engine of economic growth goes back to the times of Adam Smith. However, its popularity subsided around the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s in favour of 20th century protectionist theories, especially in developing countries where Import Substitution Industrialisation (ISI) strategies were implemented. Persistent, independent academic research during the reign of the protectionist paradigm rejuvenated support for more open and outwards-oriented trade. Gradually, in the 1980s, protectionist theory yielded its hold on economic advisors and politicians. Behind this change of paradigm was the widespread debt crisis in 1982 among ISI followers, and the collapse of communism in central and Eastern Europe.

The article discusses on the measure used to gauge poverty in the U.S., Europe and other developing countries. It discusses that the present official measure of poverty in the U.S. is flawed and both, the poverty threshold and measurement of available resources should be improved. It reports that European countries provided with sufficient social aid but they face a technical problem of relative poverty threshold. Also mentioned are the levels of economic development in developing and underdeveloped countries.

The article focuses on the South-North migration systems in the European Community (EC). It says that South-North refers to the migration streams between Less Developed Countries (LDCs) and industrialized countries. It states that combined demographic trends, age structures, and activity rates can cause unprecedented labour force growth in LDCs. It adds that striking economic and social equalities are disparities among industrialized and developing countries. It concludes that the future of South-North migration regarding Europe depends on the economic growth and policies of industrialized countries in the field of international migration.