The theme of sociology in which we talk about the state of poverty and the different types of poverty within our society.
Poverty
In scientific research it is necessary that there are precise concepts, which can help us to be less superficial.
Poverty is a condition in which people do not have enough resources to meet human needs.
Sometimes we think of poverty as a condition in which one cannot find the resources to survive, but in today's societies there are many stimuli that are necessary for people and that if one is not able to find or reach them, and therefore one can define oneself as poor.
It is also important for us to have intellectual stimuli, to acquire information and knowledge, to have social relationships....
When a person does not have sufficient resources to meet universal needs, we find ourselves in the case of absolute poverty.
We speak of extreme absolute poverty when a person does not even have the resources to survive, i. e. food, a place to sleep, health insurance, clothes...
Instead, we speak of absolute poverty, not extreme poverty, when we also take into account all the needs of men who are not tied to mere subsistence, such as intellectual stimuli, social relations, etc. We speak of poverty.
In order not to have too narrow a concept of poverty, we must also ask ourselves what desires and aspirations are in the social context in which people live.
We talk about relative poverty when a person has a lower standard of living than people in his or her society.
Poverty can also be subjective within certain limits, for example some people live in poor conditions by choice, prefer a simple and austere life.
It also happens that in advanced countries, which some people would be right to call poor, but do not live in narrowness or are even rich. It may happen that a person has all the comforts of life but is stressed and unhappy.
Poverty has three effects: physical, psychological and social.
When poverty is at very high levels such as in third world countries, poverty can also lead to physical problems, such as malnutrition.
Modest degrees of poverty can lead to psychological consequences, such as the sense of failure, given that there is a gap between what one would like and what one has.
Poverty also tends to affect social relationships, not only because poor people tend to experience them differently, but also because other people tend to treat the poor differently.
Poverty can be described as a limitation of life possibilities and a disadvantage in cultural and social life.
This phenomenon can also lead to exclusion. Marginalisation is the condition of those who are relegated to the margins, to the periphery of the social system, and therefore implies a lack of integration of some people/groups who do not participate in the life of society. Exclusion may take the form of discrimination.
Just think of the conditions of the tramps, which are badly seen by society and usually avoided by people.
Poverty puts people at a disadvantage, because people cannot afford what they would like and what other people have.
Example: A poor person may not have the internet, and this is a disadvantage because it leads the person to not be informed about what happens around him/her.
Education is a good way to get men out of poverty.
Education could be understood as a sort of ransom. It opens the door to many and varied job opportunities that would otherwise not be accessible. In addition, it better equips you to move forward and understand the complex network of welfare programs and money management techniques - both of which are useful for getting out of poverty.
