ABSTRACT
Tension and conflict between North and South in the decades ahead are inescapable. There are so many factors affecting the relationship between North and South and so many uncertainties about how or whether these factors will come into play, that any effort to forecast emerging trends and patterns is likely to seem futile or at least foolhardy. Problems are especially severe in the North-South context because it is very difficult for weak and poor states, exposed to rising internal and external pressures, to respond quickly and consistently to signals for change and because a break in continuity is the primary goal of some important actors in the system. Most of the conflicts within the North-South Dialogue seem to reflect sharp disagreements about specific proposals for change in a variety of areas —trade, commodities, debt, shipping, and so forth. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
