Poverty - What is it? types, causes, consequences, and more

Poverty

A social condition in which the necessary resources to satisfy basic needs are lacking.

What is poverty?

Poverty is a social condition in which the necessary resources to satisfy basic needs are lacking. This condition is suffered by a large sector of individuals in all societies around the world, and in some cases, poverty can intervene in the full development of a person or even of society.

Several factors influence the condition of poverty, however, there are studies that indicate the differences between poverty and extreme poverty, classifying extreme poverty as indigence, that condition in which it is impossible to access a basic amount of food per day.

On the other hand, the condition of poverty is one in which it is impossible to access a slightly broader basket of goods and services compared to extreme poverty.

types of poverty

The most common types of poverty in societies are mentioned below:

• Extreme poverty: also classified as indigence, it is the condition in which it is impossible to access a basic amount of food per day.
• Temporary poverty: that condition of poverty subject to a limited time, not permanent.
• Material poverty: that condition of poverty in which access to material resources is impossible.
• Collective poverty: a condition of poverty that affects a wide group of people in general and that is caused by a variety of factors.
• Individual poverty is the condition of poverty that affects a particular individual.

Basic conditions to avoid falling into poverty

Below are the basic conditions to avoid falling into poverty:

• Have guaranteed access to the basic family basket of goods and services.
• Expand academic capacity or educational quality, in order to compete for a job or source of income.
• Have a stable source of 
• Organize adequate management of economic resources, taking into account that expenses are not greater than income.

How is poverty measured?

There is no absolute way to definitively measure poverty levels, however, there are many useful methods to carry out this measurement according to the type of poverty or the factors taken into account.

The most used methods are listed below:

• The poverty index: created in 1997 by the UN, is used to determine the living standards of a population, by means of a certain statistical parameter.
• Gini coefficient– ​​used to measure income inequality in a country; according to the result, poverty is determined.
• Human Poverty Index (HPI): First introduced in 2010, this indicator is based on a measure comprised of knowledge, a long and healthy life, and a decent standard of living.
• Human Development Index(HDI): developed by the United Nations program, it is used to classify countries at different levels of human development, based on various factors to give its rating, such as life expectancy and levels of Education.
• Poverty Line Method: It is based on income and consumption spending, comparing the level of income with the minimum values ​​imposed on the poverty line itself.

Causes and consequences of poverty

Causes

The causes of poverty are relative because various factors can influence to reach this condition, however, the main causes of poverty are listed below:

• Unemployment.
• Violence from armed conflicts.
• Absence of education.
• Mishandling of resources by the State.
• Climate change.
• Exponential population growth.

Consequences

The main consequences of poverty are:

• Malnutrition: due to the lack of a basic amount of daily food.
• Terrible human development: due to the lack of learning instruments.
• Low level of education: due to the difficulty of access to quality education.
• The difficulty of access to decent housing conditions.
• Limited access to health.
• Delinquency: in certain cases, individuals resort to delinquency due to difficulties in accessing greater opportunities.
• Migration: some individuals use this action to try to improve their lifestyle in a territory other than their origin.

 

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