[ricudis]

The confusion stems from the fact that most people perceive it as a "measure of economic development", while in fact it's political cold war terminology:

First world = US + close allies Second world = USSR + close allies Third world = Everybody else

[mktmkr]

Switzerland was third world under this definition?

[nickserv]

Yes, it was.

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cold_War_alliances...