Speaking as coming from an Eastern Europe, here's my view: the biggest problem in poor countries is corruption (in government), not poverty. My country, as well

Speaking as coming from an Eastern Europe, here's my view: the biggest problem in poor countries is corruption (in government), not poverty. My country, as well as those you mention, have plenty of middle class people, it's not just super-poor or super-rich. At least in my country, the biggest problem is that it's much harder to be a successful entrepreneur. Taxing corporations more does not, in any way, fix government corruption. In fact, it actually makes the problem worse, since there's more to steal by corrupt politicians.