Poverty Supporting Factors - Essay Example

What Causes Poverty? Introduction The condition in which a man is deprived of chances or means to earn for his basic needs like nutritious food, water, clothe, shelter, education, and health can be defined as poverty. The poverty of a country is assessed in proportion with its per capita income. Poverty has been a phenomenon right from the design of social life was set up. The statistical data shows that 75% of the poor in developing countries live in rural areas (World Bank 2008, p.45). Even though many studies and experiments have been conducted, the condition of the poor does not change with the estimation of concerned governments. They are still disadvantaged with the availability of finance and land property rights. Poverty as a Global Challenge Poverty is absolutely one of the worst moral challenges man has to take on. This three syllable word has immense influence in the ethical life prospects of every population across the globe. This article can be a torch bearer to some of various elements that support prevalence of poverty. The poverty-cause and effect examination in the economic world is based on two major multi national development organizations – the World Bank and the UNDP - with two specific initiatives where poverty and human rights have been explicitly in focus: the Inter-American Development Bank and UNESCO (Economic Perspectives, March 2002). The present day developmental programmes to up lift the poor are the major results of globalization frame work designated by multinational organizations. Such global norm setting bodies have much to speak about this topic in detail with specifications for rehabilitation process. As Houghton (2004 p.326) states, the flow of wealth is from poor nations to rich nations which ultimately increases the gap between the rich and the poor. Over Population & Poverty Over population and lack of birth control senses were considered major reason for the resultant poverty. In the economical stream, poverty prevails where there is limited earning against unlimited needs. As the number of children in the family increases the demand for more food, clothes and all other domestic needs rise disproportionate to the income of the family. Poverty and overpopulation are correlative. Prolonged poverty of a customized society deprives women of their freedom of thinking or knowledge of planning their lives before or after marriage. Thus they get married early much to the relief of their parents and they become parents to children to be like them. Overpopulation should be considered as the condition when the production of the necessities is not apt to support the inhabitants (Sutherland 2009, P.18). Socio-economic and natural causes Warfare: The effect of any social change in warfare way will certainly affect the country’s financial stability however strong it may be. Immediate poverty arises in a country that conceives or enforces an attack. For example, during the period 1980 - 89, Iraq’s annual cost of the war was estimated to be $452.6 billion which was 104 percent of the country’s GDP (Alnasrawi 1994, p.100). The sudden drop in the average per capita income of Iraqi citizens affected their growth in a deep rooted way. Damages and devastations caused to infrastructure cover a large proportion of a war victim country’s rehabilitation process. It also fails to ensure public health and social services such as drinking water and sewage disposals etc in time. As economists say, the development of a country depends largely on the quality of its human resources. Hence it is needless to say that any war fighting country is subject to under go poverty related crises. Recent example of Afghanistan and Iraq indicates the intensity of poverty derived from long years of war. Agricultural Cycles; People who largely depend on agriculture tend to have a pause to their flow of income at a time very near to harvest each time. This cyclonic problem prevails in almost every agricultural population. One in five of the global population live in severe poverty with its major portion located at rural areas; and agriculture has a significant role in determining their prosperity (OECD 2003, p.3). They usually have no income generation during this ‘hungry period’ and lack even minimum needs to be fulfilled. Some practices are introduced among themselves to overcome this problem but they end up in a disaster if the weather of any day changes into a negative kind. They lack preparation and technical know-how to prevent this turmoil from driving itself towards poverty. Natural Disasters Flood, rains, earthquakes or droughts can be a formidable destroyer in mans economically stable life. There many examples of such issues heading up in various part of the world in recent years. While these problems persist for only few days or weeks, the effect they apply is highly intensive and some are truly irreparable. Katrina, the hurricane in America and some earthquakes and floods in north East Asia are examples of such deformities caused by violent nature. Unshakable Factors Coupled with Poverty Poverty due to disastrous atmospheric changes may be overcome with proper time management or resourceful implementation of rehabilitation proceedings. But it is not possible to trounce the conditions prevailing in a politically distraught economy. The effect of such turmoil would be terrible as the situation could not be taken into control by anybody. The following are the list of major such issues behind poverty in a chronic stature. Colonial Histories: The history of some undeveloped countries says about their colonial forfeiture to certain political giants of the past. Many such countries find it difficult to meet their material needs as a consequence of the exploitation they suffered for a long period. Many South American countries as well as Asian countries were colonies of the British till the 20th century (Hill 1998, p. 25). Even as they were liberated, they had little things to manage the governance to politically rule the country in a healthy way. India and Pakistan are best examples of such destructed colonies. In the event of a political separation after long years of foreign administration, many such colonial countries find it difficult to amalgamate the refugees to the main stream. Cuba and India are the worst victims of colonial history. The main lands of these countries were left behind barren by the domineering masters from foreign invasions. When they left they left nothing useful for the country and its people. This resulted in chronic poverty in such countries which failed to meet the necessary resources for the people for their stimulated productivity. Corruption: In most countries, centralized political power and governance body tends to involve in corruption. When the administrators ignore their accountability to the public, the result of the rule drives towards a meaningless future of the country. Bribery is the route cause of subsequent failures of many prestigious administrations. Russia and Korea are best example of such terrific effect of corruption on economy. Later such disturbances hatch the eggs of poverty in the ultimate bottom lines. This kind of scenario prevails mainly in democratic countries where administrative heads enjoy the power to take decisions and execute them without the consultation of the public. Poverty dwells in a country where there is no responsible head to steer the administration. In brief, politicians spend huge amounts of money for their followers from the funds meant for development and social welfare needs and the common public become poor day by day. Border Terrorism: States sharing political boundaries with neighbouring countries are vulnerable to poverty in any country. This is because they have to occupy a large fleet of armaments for a high tense retaliation or for managing counter terrorism operations. For instance, India and Pakistan are fighting for their geographical share in the possession of a no man’s land. Such fights require lots of money and machinery. Sometimes these fights lead to wars and the ultimate sufferers are common men. Income from all sources subsides and the work force and entrepreneurs feel it good not to work. When the employers transform their business ideas, workers make no income and walk in to deep chaos of poverty. Social Inequality: according to Myrdal (1970) one of the major causes for the sustained poverty in a country is social inequality (cited in Kendall 2007, p.283). This condition pertains in many developed countries too. People form different segments of social lives are classified into various cadres. For example, in many South American countries people call themselves black. When they go around the globe in search of jobs, their black brand deprives them of getting into a better company in developed countries. This separatism is found among the Gulf countries too. When a sector of the society is driven away from job opportunities, their financial conditions worsen and they take to crime. In countries like Kenya, Libya and Nigeria, this is a common happening. The condition in some of the Middle East countries is not even different. Poverty ultimately takes human being to cruelty. Geographical deprivation: A lot many African countries are examples of horrific face of human life. Hospitals with hard wood operation tables and unsophisticated surgical equipments are a common scene there. This may be because of the inferior accessibility of other countries with them. According to the report of World Bank (2000, p. 6) geography plays a great role in the development of economy. Infrastructural up gradation is possible only with changes in transportation, travel and living. Geographical changes sometimes result in depleted productivity of work force. Sometime they even stop working in a country where they have migrated to. This tendency cultivates to persistent poverty in an economy where the income of which is largely dependent on other countries for its own people’s employment opportunities. It may be summarized that poverty is not a natural condition of any economy. It can be eliminated only with the joint effort of people with a philanthropic out look. Since this problem is associated with various reasons, poverty eradication must be the prima facie motto of every government. References ALnasrawi, A 2009, The Economy of Iraq: Oil, Wars, Destruction of Devepoment and Prospects 1950-2010, Greenwood Press. Agricultural Trade and Poverty: making policy analysis count, 2003, OECD Publishing. ‘Addressing Global Poverty’, March 2002, Economic Perspectives, DIANE Publishing, Vol.6, no.3, p.11. Hill, J (Ed.) 1998, Occupying Architecture: Between the Architect and the User, Routledge. Houghton, JT 2004, Global Warming: the Complete Briefing, Cambridge University- Press. Kendall D, 2007, Sociology in Our Times, edn 7, Cengage Learning. Panama Poverty Assessment: Priorities and Strategies for Poverty Reduction, 2000, World Bank Publications. Sutherland H G, 2009, Birth Control, BiblioBazar LLC. World Bank Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development, World Bank- Publications. Read More