preview

Poverty, Moderate Poverty And Relative Poverty

Satisfactory Essays

¬Poverty
Introduction
This paper will initially discuss the concept of poverty, primarily evaluating the three most commonly identified degrees of poverty- extreme poverty, moderate poverty and relative poverty. It will examine how the concept of poverty cannot possibly be conclusively defined, due to the highly subjective nature of the concept. The commonly used model of the poverty line and various criticisms of it brought forth by scholars on the fundamental flaws of the concept shall be analyzed. The paper will address the evolution of the poverty line in India, highlighting the changes made in the methodology used to define poverty. Finally, this paper will consider the concept of a poverty trap, and examine it in the economical context of India as a country.
What is Poverty?
Poverty can be said to be a deprivation of material goods sufficient to fulfill an individual’s needs in society. Poverty can be generally be classified into three categories, including extreme poverty, moderate poverty, and relative poverty.
Extreme poverty, first recognized in the 1995 United Nations World Summit, was defined as “a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services.” Extreme poverty can only exist in under-developed or developing countries. The concept has been commonly criticized for being

Get Access