Causes of poverty

The causes of poverty include changing trends in a country’s economy, lack of education, high divorce rate which causes feminization of poverty, having a culture of poverty, overpopulation, epidemic diseases such as AIDS and malaria,^[1] and environmental problems such as lack of rainfall.^[2][3]

The United States reduced poverty in the elderly with the creation of the social security program^[4] Almost 50 percent of people in the world today live on less than $2.50 per day.^[5]

The poverty rate among seniors in the United States is at 9 percent as of 2010. In 1960 the official poverty rate among the elderly was 35 percent.^[6] The Netherlands offers a universal pension and leads the world with a 1.7 percent poverty rate among the elderly. Extreme poverty may affect the lifespan and the lack of money via some type of pension system increases the poverty rate among the elderly worldwide.^[7]

Extreme weather may be a cause of poverty in many countries. Drought, rainfall and flooding are some of the biggest causes of poverty by weather. When natural disasters do not gain media attention raising money becomes more difficult. This is made worse when governments spend money in the capitals instead of the poorest areas which need it most.^[8]

Tony Blair in a BBC discussion states that the cause of poverty is inequality of opportunity.^[9]

Causes of Global Poverty

The International Food Study Institute had a brief on a collection of extensive studies that analyzed the causes of poverty, analyzing household data and reviewing empirical research in 20 countries. They found that some of the major causes of poverty were the inability of poor households to invest in property and education, limited access to credit, in some cases these instances produce more poverty via inherited poverty. The systematic exclusion of ethnic minorities, scheduled castes, tribes, women and people with disabilities and health issues. Persistence of poverty is partially attributed to these classes not having access to institutions and markets.^[10]

War and violence may be some of the primary causes of poverty.^[11] Political violence and organized crime have affected 39 countries since 2000, in those countries the poverty level is twice that of non-violent countries. These two items, poverty and violence may also feed themselves. When asked why young people joined gangs and rebel groups in half a dozen countries, two thirds of the respondents said that unemployment was their main reason, only one tenth cited a belief in the cause.^[12] The Bible says we should help the needy (Proverbs 19:17)

Colonialism has been cited as a cause of poverty, this idea is rejected by Walter E. Williams citing that not all post colonial countries have high poverty rates.^[13]

Primary Causes by Country

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the United Nations has found that marital instability is one of the primary sources of poverty among women, along with overpopulation, and corruption of government.^[14]

Canada

Over 50% of poor Canadians rely on food banks and social assistance. Poverty can happen to anyone but the rate is higher in immigrants, aboriginals and people with disabilities.^[15] The lack of income causes people to turn to bad decisions. (e.g. alcoholism, homelessness, drugs, dropping out of school, refusing to work ) .^[16] There is no clear and simple reasons to describe the cause of poverty in these individuals. Personal issues that cause most Canadians to classify to be in poverty are loss of health and decease in a spouse or family member . The personal issue is difficult to control

and leads to poverty in these individuals of Canada.^[17]

Philippines

From 1988 to 1991 food prices increased due to a change in the policies of commodity prices which increased the poverty rate.^[18] From 1960 to 2009 slow economic growth has contributed to the persistence of poverty and has also contributed to the non-poor becoming poor. Although poverty has been reduced overall, the inequality of poverty has increased according to the Asian Development Bank.^[19]

UK

Unemployment was the leading cause of poverty within the UK. In 2009 and 2010, 42 percent of the families that were below the poverty line did not have any working family members. Among the families below the poverty line that had at least one family member working, low wages and insufficient benefits were also leading causes.^[20]

South Africa

One of South Africa's major cause and effect of poverty is unemployment. Unemployment causes families to live in unsanitary conditions because a lack of financial means to improve living conditions. If the parents are unemployed, this can also affect how the child is brought up and what kind of education they receive. This issue has been recognized by the South African government and they have created organisations like the Expanded Public Works Program, also known as the EPWP. This program is an important gateway to labor absorption and provides income for poor families. Poverty stricken people now have the chance to receive income thanks to the jobs that the EPWP provides.^[21]

Listing the causes of poverty

Primary causes

• Lack of control in local food^[22]
• Corruption: Corruption is both a major cause and a result of poverty around the world.
• Lack of access to education^[23]
• Mental illness, Lack of proper psychiatric care
• World Hunger, the economic development in the world.
• Epidemic diseases

Historical causes

• Slavery
• Conquest^[24]

See also

• Involuntary unemployment
• Poverty
• Poverty reduction

References

External links

• Rycroft, Robert S. (2009). The Economics of inequality, discrimination, poverty, and mobility. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe. p. 232. ISBN 9780765623270. 
• The factors causing poverty and suffering