What is Poverty?
Although it may not seem like it, poverty is like a form of disease that can spread throughout a world. Currently the percentage is very high in several countries, whether they are called developed or underdeveloped.
Poverty is what we would not all want for the world we live in. But nevertheless, it gives the sensation that no matter how much we do, nothing is enough. Fortunately for the neediest and the poor there are many organizations that are doing many things for them, all that is missing is that we all become aware of and strive to participate in these public or private initiatives.
Since with the contribution of each, it will be possible to give a great advance to the project to help the poorest. There is a worldwide company called "Appeal against poverty".
Poverty levels
Basic Definitions:
Absolute poverty when certain minimum standards of living, such as nutrition, health and housing, can not be attained.
Relative poverty when one does not have the level of income necessary to satisfy all or part of the basic needs according to the criteria of a given time and society.
Ways of measuring poverty are very different in both definitions. From an economic, sociological and psychological point of view, they complement each other. Particularly dramatic is the situation of absolute poverty, which is the main problem of societies without resources. ? It is sociologically and psychologically very interesting relative poverty, which is perhaps suffered by a large part of developed or developing societies, it is the quality of life.
Internationally defined poverty line (World Bank) as the line set at two dollars per person per day (of equal purchasing power), an amount considered sufficient for the acquisition of products necessary to cover basic needs in the lowest countries (World Bank) as the line set (in 2008) at $ 1.25 per capita per day (of equal purchasing power), an amount considered sufficient for Survive in low-income countries.
Causes of Poverty
Poverty is not a product of insufficient natural resources or of a reduced national territory, nor of high levels of illiteracy, nor of lack of technical preparation.
Nor is the presence of multinational companies that sell powdered milk, cola formulas, or gasoline to global markets.
The misery of the poor is not caused by the fact that some people or companies are rich, nor because the gap between rich and poor widens. Greed and speculation are not to blame.
Poverty is not the result of governments, both local and distant, insensitive to the realities of poverty.
Poverty does not arise from a very unequal distribution of resources, which allows a small handful of the world's population to absorb a lion's share of wealth, income, production, or whatever. It is not because the advanced countries consume too much and distribute very little.
There is no poverty because the external and internal debt is a heavy burden, which plunges the warring nations, or the deficit of their balance of payments. It does not exist either because the local currency is weak, or it was "attacked," or devalued. It does not exist because a government is insolvent, inefficient, thief, or any other adjective.
It is simply not true that rich countries get high prices for their processed products while poor countries have to settle for low prices for their non-sophisticated raw materials.
Nor could it be true that capitalism is the villain, especially in those places where pre-modern or socialist systems predominate.
The causes of poverty are different. There are economic structures that impede progress and perpetuate impoverishing attitudes. If we do not identify and correct them, we can hardly create prosperity, no matter how much time, resources, money, concern, lamentations or sermons we dedicate to the solution of poverty
Consequences of poverty
The consequences of poverty begin before birth. Pregnant women with poor diet and in an inadequate psychological environment are not biologically and mentally prepared for motherhood; Children are already born undernourished and often unloved.
Formal education does not exist, is of poor quality, biological, intellectual and social damage can be important, closing the vicious circle, because as adults they will also be with the limitations or distortions of their parents and will be inadequate parents.
Fighting poverty is a huge and difficult task, as the world economy is in the hands of developed countries or systems that are above them. By force or by the same economy (turned into a weapon) they control the world's development until now in deficient form, since the world-wide areas of intense poverty are enormous.
