Causes of poverty

The causes of poverty include changing trends in a country’s economy, lack of education, high divorce rate which causes feminization of poverty, having a culture of poverty, overpopulation, epidemic diseases such as AIDS and malaria,[1] and environmental problems such as lack of rainfall.[2][3]

The United States reduced poverty in the elderly with the creation of the social security program[4] Almost 50 percent of people in the world today live on less than $2.50 per day.[5]

The poverty rate among seniors in the United States is at 9 percent as of 2010. In 1960 the official poverty rate among the elderly was 35 percent.[6] The Netherlands offers a universal pension and leads the world with a 1.7 percent poverty rate among the elderly. Extreme poverty may affect the lifespan and the lack of money via some type of pension system increases the poverty rate among the elderly worldwide.[7]

Extreme weather may be a cause of poverty in many countries. Drought, rainfall and flooding are some of the biggest causes of poverty by weather. When natural disasters do not gain media attention raising money becomes more difficult. This is made worse when governments spend money in the capitals instead of the poorest areas which need it most.[8]

Tony Blair in a BBC discussion states that the cause of poverty is inequality of opportunity.[9]

Causes of Global Poverty

The International Food Study Institute had a brief on a collection of extensive studies that analyzed the causes of poverty, analyzing household data and reviewing empirical research in 20 countries. They found that some of the major causes of poverty were the inability of poor households to invest in property and education, limited access to credit, in some cases these instances produce more poverty via inherited poverty. The systematic exclusion of ethnic minorities, scheduled castes, tribes, women and people with disabilities and health issues. Persistence of poverty is partially attributed to these classes not having access to institutions and markets.[10]

War and violence may be some of the primary causes of poverty.[11] Political violence and organized crime have affected 39 countries since 2000, in those countries the poverty level is twice that of non-violent countries. These two items, poverty and violence may also feed themselves. When asked why young people joined gangs and rebel groups in half a dozen countries, two thirds of the respondents said that unemployment was their main reason, only one tenth cited a belief in the cause.[12] The Bible says we should help the needy (Proverbs 19:17)

Colonialism has been cited as a cause of poverty, this idea is rejected by Walter E. Williams citing that not all post colonial countries have high poverty rates.[13]

Primary Causes by Country

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the United Nations has found that marital instability is one of the primary sources of poverty among women, along with overpopulation, and corruption of government.[14]

Canada

Over 50% of poor Canadians rely on food banks and social assistance. Poverty can happen to anyone but the rate is higher in immigrants, aboriginals and people with disabilities.[15] The lack of income causes people to turn to bad decisions. (e.g. alcoholism, homelessness, drugs, dropping out of school, refusing to work ) .[16] There is no clear and simple reasons to describe the cause of poverty in these individuals. Personal issues that cause most Canadians to classify to be in poverty are loss of health and decease in a spouse or family member . The personal issue is difficult to control

and leads to poverty in these individuals of Canada.[17]

Philippines

From 1988 to 1991 food prices increased due to a change in the policies of commodity prices which increased the poverty rate.[18] From 1960 to 2009 slow economic growth has contributed to the persistence of poverty and has also contributed to the non-poor becoming poor. Although poverty has been reduced overall, the inequality of poverty has increased according to the Asian Development Bank.[19]

UK

Unemployment was the leading cause of poverty within the UK. In 2009 and 2010, 42 percent of the families that were below the poverty line did not have any working family members. Among the families below the poverty line that had at least one family member working, low wages and insufficient benefits were also leading causes.[20]

South Africa

One of South Africa's major cause and effect of poverty is unemployment. Unemployment causes families to live in unsanitary conditions because a lack of financial means to improve living conditions. If the parents are unemployed, this can also affect how the child is brought up and what kind of education they receive. This issue has been recognized by the South African government and they have created organisations like the Expanded Public Works Program, also known as the EPWP. This program is an important gateway to labor absorption and provides income for poor families. Poverty stricken people now have the chance to receive income thanks to the jobs that the EPWP provides.[21]

Listing the causes of poverty

Primary causes

Historical causes

See also

References

  1. Lusted, Marcia Amidon (2010). Poverty. Edina, Minn.: ABDO Pub. p. 31. ISBN 9781604539578.
  2. Harrison, Paul (1993). Inside the Third World: The Anatomy of Poverty (3. ed.). New York: Penguin Books. p. 20. ISBN 9780140172171.
  3. White, Howard; Killick, Tony (2001). African Poverty at the Millennium: Causes, Complexities, and Challenges (1. print. ed.). Washington, D.C.: World Bank. p. 27. ISBN 0821348671.
  4. "Causes of Poverty — Global Issues". www.globalissues.org. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  5. Social Security and the Evolution of Elderly Poverty
  6. Poverty among the Elderly
  7. Extreme weather can be the 'most important cause of poverty'
  8. Why poverty? Part 1 - BBC
  9. Ahmed,, Akhter U.; Hill, Ruth Vargas; Smith, Lisa C.; Frankenberger, Tim (October 2007). "Characteristics and causes of severe poverty and hunger" (PDF). 7 International Food Policy Research Institut: 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  10. "Root Causes of Violent Conflict in Developing Countries..". BMJ : British Medical Journal. 324: 342–345. 2002. doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7333.342. PMC 1122271Freely accessible. PMID 11834564.
  11. "The economics of violence". The Economist. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  12. Williams, Walter. "Poverty Is Easy to Explain". The Freeman. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  13. "Discrimination, Inequality, and Poverty—A Human Rights Perspective". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  14. CPJ. "Poverty in Canada". CPJ. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  15. "Current Publications: Social affairs and population: The Poverty Prism: Causes of Poverty (PRB 09-14E)". www.parl.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  16. CPJ. "Poverty in Canada". CPJ. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  17. Balisacan, Arsenio M. (October 1995). "Anatomy of Poverty during Adjustment: The Case of the Philippines". Economic Development and Cultural Change. 44 (1): 57. doi:10.1086/452200. ISSN 0013-0079.
  18. Poverty in the Philippines : causes, constraints, and opportunities. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Asian Development Bank. 2009. p. 39. ISBN 978-971-561-857-1.
  19. "What causes poverty?". cpag.org.uk. Child Poverty Action Group. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  20. http://www.epwp.gov.za
  21. Thomas Pogge on Global Poverty
  22. Shah, Anup. "Causes of Poverty". globalissues.org. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  23. Factors of Poverty - The Big Five by Phil Bartle, PhD

External links

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