Poverty is defined as a situation where one lacks adequate resources or means of livelihood. It can be experienced individually but commonly involves feelings of powerlessness and lack of access to resources. Poverty has several dimensions such as lack of livelihood strategies, inability to maintain social relations due to lack of resources, feelings of insecurity and frustration. Theories of poverty include Malthus' theory that overpopulation is the main cause and Marx's theory that exploitation of workers by capitalists leads to poverty. Causes of poverty include sickness, unemployment, poor income, natural disasters, and unequal distribution of resources while impacts include malnutrition, child labor, crime, and failure to develop socially. Addressing poverty involves social welfare programs, employment
3. Meaning of Poverty
• Poverty is a situation that gives rise to a feeling of discrepancy between what
one ‘has’ and what one ‘should have’.
• Each person’s feeling and experience of poverty is individual and unique. But
the feeling of ‘powerlessness’ and ‘resourcelessness’ is possessed by all poor
people.
• Poverty indirects a condition in which a person fails to maintain a living
standard adequate for his physical and mental efficiency.
4. Dimensions of poverty
Berstein Henry (1992) has identified the following dimensions of poverty :
• Lack of livelihood strategies
• Inability to maintain and develop social relations with others as
consequences of lack of resources
• Feeling of insecurity and frustrations
• Inaccessibility to resources (money, land, credit)
6. Definition
• Adan Smith – “Man is rich or poor according to the degree in which he can
afford to enjoy the necessaries, the conveniences and the amusements of
human life”.
• Godard – “Poverty is an insufficient supply of those things which are
requisite for an individual to maintain himself and those dependants upon
him in health and vigour”.
7. Theories Of Poverty
Malthus Theory
• According to Malthus, growth of
population is the main cause of
poverty.
Karl Marx Theory
• According to Marx, the cause of
poverty is – Exploitation of
workers by capitalists.
10. Main causes of poverty
• Over population
• Unemployment
• Poor income
• Mental diseases
• Parents death
• Political reasons & Government
11. Cont…
• Poor natural resources
• Illiteracy
• Socio-economic reasons
• Failure of monsoon
• Old customs and traditions
• Unequal distribution
12. Impacts / Problems of poverty
• Malnutrition and health
• Anti-social activities
• Beggary
• Terrorism
• Child labour
• Prostitution
• Growth of slums
13. Cont…
• Poor status
• Corruption
• Family disorganization
• Suicide
• Juvenile delinquency
• Crime
• Failure of people to adjust
14. Control of poverty
• Develop standard of living
• Social welfare services
• Rehabilitation programmes
• Development of agriculture
• Development of industrties
• Employment
• Free education
15. Cont…
• Equal distribution
• Free training programme
• Counselling programme
• Youth social service programme
• Government plans and programmes
