What is Poverty and Its Types

Poverty means not having enough money to meet basic needs like food and shelter. People’s ability to participate in society, get a suitable education, and maintain good health are all impacted by severe financial hardships. Poverty has an effect on individuals as well as the larger social structures that offer assistance, reverberating across our communities. A contributing factor to economic difficulties is the burden on the judicial system, healthcare, and other aid programs.

What is Poverty?

The absence of sufficient financial resources that prevents people from subsisting or obtaining the essentials for a fulfilling existence for themselves, their families, or their entire community is referred to as poverty. This entails being so impoverished that finding clothing, food, housing, and medical supplies is difficult.

Poverty is a problem that affects individuals as well as society as a whole. Being unable to make ends meet can cause a variety of physical and mental problems for an individual or household. High rates of poverty can impede economic progress and are linked to issues such as crime, joblessness, deteriorating urban areas, inadequate education, and ill health on a social level.

Types of Poverty

Poverty in India is diverse, and it’s often categorized into two main types: absolute poverty and relative poverty, each with its unique characteristics.

Absolute Poverty

Absolute poverty is about the basic necessities of life. It focuses on the minimum amount of money needed to cover fundamental requirements like food, clothing, housing, safe drinking water, education, and healthcare. Even if a nation is economically prosperous, individuals living below this poverty line struggle to meet these essential needs. However, this concept doesn’t consider broader quality of life issues or societal inequalities, overlooking essential social and cultural demands.

Relative Poverty

Relative poverty is about income insufficiency concerning the average living standards in a society. Individuals experiencing relative poverty may have some income, but it falls short of sustaining the average lifestyle around them. This type of poverty is dynamic, changing with the economic prosperity of the country. People in relative poverty may not be in absolute poverty, yet they can’t afford the same standard of living as the rest of society. This can manifest in various aspects like limited access to technology, clean clothes, quality housing, and education, creating obstacles that can persist throughout a lifetime.

Causes of Poverty

Poverty is a tough situation that can be hard to escape, often continuing from one generation to the next. It’s influenced by factors like how much money someone has, where they live, their background, and even their gender. Some people are born into poverty, and it’s tough for them to break free. Others might fall into poverty due to bad economic times, natural disasters, high living costs, or struggles with things like addiction and mental health.

Many folks facing poverty don’t have easy access to good schools, healthcare, clean water, or other important services. This lack of access often depends on their money, gender, background, and where they live. Other reasons for poverty include not enough job opportunities, poor community infrastructure, conflicts or wars, a high cost of living, social hurdles, and insufficient government support.

Even if someone manages to improve their situation, it’s often not permanent. Economic problems, food shortages, and changes in the weather can push them back into poverty. Living in poverty can lead to issues like substance abuse, limited education options, poor living conditions, and more health problems. Increased poverty can also create tension in society, leading to higher crime rates in affected communities.

Questions and Answers on What is Poverty and Types of Poverty

1. What is the poverty?

An individual or community is considered to be in poverty if they do not have the means to maintain a minimal level of living.

2. What is the poverty line and its types?

The poverty line is an artificial, approximated line that economists have drawn to indicate what constitutes poverty. The poverty line is calculated using specific standard measurements such that everyone who is impoverished is below the poverty line and everyone who is above it is not.

3. Why is poverty important?

Economic and social rights including the right to food, decent water, proper housing, health care, and education are all compromised by poverty.

4. Who defines poverty?

In the US, a person’s or family’s income is compared to a predetermined poverty threshold, or the minimal amount required to meet basic necessities, to determine how poor they are. Individuals who earn less than the amount are regarded as impoverished. The federal organization in charge of calculating poverty is the U.S. Census Bureau.

5. Which causes poverty?

There is rarely just one source of poverty. Certain people do not have enough money due to a variety of reasons, such as growing living expenses, poor income, unemployment, and insufficient social security benefits.