Islam's attitude towards women and feminism?

This is my first question here. I am a non-muslim. I have a few muslim friends, and I think I have a good track record as a tolerant/accepting person. I have been fascinated by Islam (I have read a couple of books about Islam written by a United States right-wing leaning intellectual). Veils/burqa make me uncomfortable as a male (summers in my region touch 50 degrees celsius). Islam also allows polygamy, which I think puts women at a disadvantage (IMO). I feel like ***(a significant number of?)*** muslim majority countries are poor (Pakistan/Afghanistan/Iraq). Could there be connection between countries' prosperity and their attitude towards women? How do muslims feel about western attitude about feminism?