4.1: Introduction to Poverty

Poverty

“Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time.

Poverty has many faces, changing from place to place and across time, and has been described in many ways . Most often, poverty is a situation people want to escape. So poverty is a call to action — for the poor and the wealthy alike — a call to change the world so that many more may have enough to eat, adequate shelter, access to education and health, protection from violence, and a voice in what happens in their communities.” – The World Bank Organization

Introduction to Poverty

Although poverty is one of the most familiar and enduring conditions known to humanity, it is a highly complicated concept to understand fully. Above is a definition of poverty given by The World Bank Organization. To date there is no one standard definition of poverty, but numerous definitions and descriptions. All current definitions and descriptions agree that poverty is a complex societal problem.

Regardless as to how poverty is defined, it can be agreed that it is a problem requiring everyone’s attention. It is important that all members of our society work together to provide opportunities for all members to reach their full potential. It helps all of us to help one another.

Poverty WordArt

Poverty looks different across the world. Commonly when we think of poverty, we relate it to the images we see on television of malnourished children living in developing countries. However, poverty is all around us. Even in the wealthiest of countries poverty still exists. Individuals who are living in poverty are made up of all races, ethnicities, ages, backgrounds, and geographic locations (Rodgers, 2015). For many individuals living in poverty, their lives are characterized by low wages, unemployment, underemployment, little property ownership, no savings, and lack of food reserves. The ability to meet even the most basic needs is in constant jeopardy. Feelings of helplessness, dependence, and inferiority develop easily under these circumstances (Sue, Rasheed, & Rasheed, 2012).

Absolute and Relative Poverty

When discussing poverty the terms absolute poverty and relative poverty are often used (Iceland, 2013). Absolute and relative are the two most common forms of poverty delineated in our society and around the world (Pierson & Thomas, 2010).

Absolute Poverty

Absolute poverty refers to the amount of money necessary to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. The concept of absolute poverty is not concerned with the broader quality of life issues or with the overall level of inequality in society but is based strictly on whether or not basic needs are being met (UNESCO, 2017). Examples of absolute poverty would include not knowing when or where your next meal will come from, not having access to clean drinking water, and not having an adequate place to sleep each night.

Relative Poverty

Relative poverty refers to the lack of resources to obtain the types of diet, participate in the activities, and have the living conditions and amenities that are customary to maintain the average standard of living in society (Pierson, & Thomas, 2010; Poverty eradication, 2012). Relative poverty defines poverty in relation to the economic status of other members of the society, therefore determining if people are poor by gauging if they fall below normal standards of living in a given society (UNESCO, 2017). Examples of relative poverty would include not being able to have your children participate in after school activities, not being able to afford to dine out, or not being able to take vacations.

Attribution: This page titled 1.6: Poverty is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lindsey Bronold via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.