Have to disagree with Safire

Initially, let me say that it appears incorrect that third world refers to the "non-aligned" nations.

Did you ever think of Yugoslavia as Third World? Spain?

Didn't you think of Liberia, Sudan, Uruguay and Laos as 3rd world countries, even tho in the 50's these were western aligned nations?

What about the Old World - Europe, the New World - most of the Americas, the third world, the undeveloped nations of the latter 20th century? How dioes this definiton discomport with your understanding of a "third world nation".

There was more information in the Safire entry about how the term has changed, etc. But the original question was about its origin. And I get tired of typing.