 What is poverty and How did it started?

More than 20 percent of the world’s population lives in poverty. Poverty is a big problem in the whole
world, because thousands of people die each year due to this big issue. This research paper will tell us
what poverty is, its cause, effects, what people could do to help stop it. Poverty is an issue that needs to
be address by everybody in the world because if no one tries to something about it is going to keep
getting worst as time goes on. This research paper is to inform people about poverty, to make sure
people understand what poverty is, what is doing to us, and most important to inform about what they
could do to stop it. By informing people with all this information I would like to see them taking action
towers this issue, it would be very helpful if people help does with need after reading this research
paper. To help stop poverty we must help each other in any way we can. Many of you may ask what
poverty really means. Well poverty refers to the condition of not having the means to afford basic
human needs such as clean water, nutrition, healthcare, clothing, food, and a warm place to live.
Poverty is a deadly issue that’s killing our population slowly. Poverty has been around for a long time
now, it started when all rich people began to get richer, by rich people getting richer they were making
other people poor, and let them to live without the humans needs. In my opinion all those people that
are now living in poor conditions should not be living like this if there is people who could do something
to help, by helping them am saying that they could use money to make sure this people have a place to
live, and food for their kids.

 What is the concept of poverty ?

Poverty is the scarcity or the lack of a certain (variant) amount of material possessions
or money. Poverty is a multifaceted concept, which may include social, economic,
and political elements. Absolute poverty, extreme poverty, or destitution refers to the
complete lack of the means necessary to meet basic personal needs such
as food, clothing and shelter.[1]
The threshold at which absolute poverty is defined is considered to be about the same,
independent of the person's permanent location or era. On the other hand, relative
poverty occurs when a person who lives in a given country does not enjoy a certain
minimum level of "living standards" as compared to the rest of the population of that
country. Therefore, the threshold at which relative poverty is defined varies from country
to another, or from one society to another.[2]
Providing basic needs can be restricted by constraints on government's ability to deliver
services, such as corruption, tax avoidance, debt and loan conditionalitiesand by the brain
drain of health care and educational professionals. Strategies of increasing income to
make basic needs more affordable typically include welfare, economic freedoms and
providing financial services.[3]
Poverty reduction is still a major issue (or a target) for many international organizations
such as the United Nations, the World Bank, United States Agency for International
Development, Oxfam, CARE, World Vision International, the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, and the Red Cross among a plethora of others.
 Causes of poverty
1. High growth rate of population. The ate of growth of population has been larger than the rate of
growth of the economy. The annual percentage rise in population is close to 25% whereas the rate
of growth of the economy is 9%. As a result, the standard of living is low and therefore, poverty
still remains.

2. Inequality of income. Inequality of income is yet another very critical reason for this condition.
The income and wealth concentrate only in a few hands and therefore, inequality breeds
inequalities. This leads to a divide int he society of haves and have-nots.
3. Low per capita income. The per capita income of India is very low. And due to the low per
capita income, the standard of living of the people is also very low. Therefore, low per capita
income is one of the leading causes of this situation.
4. The backwardness of the economy. The backwardness of an economy is a crucial factor that
decides its poverty levels. Along with backwardness of the economy, even insufficient economic
growth is a contributing factor.
5. Unemployment. Unemployment and poverty go together. It is one of the biggest problems that
an economy faces. In India, unemployment is on the rise. 2009-10 figures state that around 28
million people were unemployed. There is also the problem of under-employment as well as
disguised employment.
6. Low consumption expenditure. Low per capita income leads to a very low consumption
expenditure. Due to low consumption expenditures, the people are unable to receive necessary
quantities of comforts. Their standard of living, therefore, remains low.
7. Some of the other causes are as follows.
8. Regional imbalance. Any regional imbalance that prevails in the country is also a contributing
factor. For example, in India, the state of Punjab achieves a higher growth rate. Whereas, states of
Bihar and Madhya Pradesh are still considered backwards. Hence, the poor are not evenly
distributed in a country. Therefore, the incidence of poverty is higher in places of low growth
rate.
9. Inflation. Inflation is yet another contributing factor. Continuous rising prices often adversely
affects the life of the poor people. An increase in agricultural prices would have an adverse
impact on the condition. However, inflation reduces the purchasing power of the poor people.
10. Backward agriculture. India is predominantly agricultural. Over 58% of the population depend
on it for their living. Agriculture in the country is backward because primitive methods of
cultivations are in practice. As a result, the people who depend on it are also poor and left back.
11. Poor development. The rate of development in India is very poor and is insufficient as well.
Economic growth is a powerful anti-poverty force and is therefore very very important to
eradicate.
12. Backward technology and a shortage of capital. The technology and techniques of production
in India are old and quite obsolete. There is also a problem in the lack and shortage of capital.
Obsolete technology along with low capital directly retard economic growth.
13. Social and political factors. Various social and political factors such as illiteracy, ignorance and
type of democracy contribute to the country’s poverty.
  The major reasons for poverty in India
(1). Low level of economic development under the British colonial administration. The policies of
the British colonial administration ruined traditional handicrafts which discouraged the
development of industries like of textiles and hence, resulted in lack for job opportunities in
textile industries.
(2). Green revolution created many job opportunities in the agricultural sector, however, it's
effects were confined to limited parts of India only.
(3). From the industrial point of view, India is very backward. Hardly, 3% of the working
population is engaged in large scale industry.
(4). There has been huge inequality in distribution of income in the country. This is mainly
because of the unequal distribution of land and other resources also led to increase in the rate
of poverty in rural areas particularly because the land reforms were not implemented properly.
(5). Some other causes of poverty are excessive dependency on agriculture, social factors such
as illiteracy, large size of family, law of inheritance and caste system.

 Conclusion

Poverty has become a great issue in our world. Though many organizations have been
created to find solutions for this matter nobody could not save our world completely from
poverty. The most common fact which we can realize when we consider on information
about poverty is that poverty is mostly occurring in developing countries.

What are the reasons caused for poverty mostly? According to the Borgen Project,
reasons for poverty are History, War and Political instability, National Debts,
Discrimination and social inequality and vulnerability to natural disasters. Poverty is the
significant lack of money or poorness. Precise definitions of poverty are controversial;
according to one definition, poverty is having so little money that one cannot pay for
basic necessities, such as food and shelter. Sociologists study the effects of poverty as
well as who lives in poverty and why. Many surveys have been done in order to
calculate the accurate number of people who are suffering from the poverty. According
to the Global Finance Magazine poorest countries in the world are Central African
Republic, Congo, Dem.Rep, Malawi, Liberia, Burundi, Niger, Mozambique and Eritrea.
There are many organizations such as CARE, Oxfam, ONE, The hunger Project
working to stop poverty. Some of these are non-profit, strategic organizations committed
to the sustainable end of poverty and world hunger.