Most people in the West are way higher up on Maslow's pyramid than people in the developing world. There's no arguing with basics like availability of clean water, food, clothing, healthcare. After your basics are covered it's up to you to decide whether you work your ass off improving yourself or settling for the status quo of luxury that living in Western society provides.

Whenever I come back from a developing country I think "We're fucked & we deserve it". People in developing countries are just as capable & ingenious; they are more likely to work hard because they see a path of progress in front of them. In the West we have become so accustomed to our luxuries that instead of working harder, we settle for the status quo far too often.