Poverty is one of the main global problems. This grave condition refers to the inability to address the basic needs of people who live in a country. Extreme or absolute poverty, especially in developing countries, poses a serious danger not only for national but also for international sustainable development. In fact, people in many developing countries suffer from poverty that endangers their life. The global poverty problem is especially acute because many developing countries continue to have the cohorts of people whose human rights have been undermined due to the low level of income. In addition, they do not have sufficient opportunities to alleviate poverty. Consequently, it is vital to provide extensive international support to eliminate the sources of poverty in the world. Thus, the problem of poverty has received a particular concern from the international community. This paper focuses on the ways how to overcome poverty by establishing the economic growth and providing state aid to the poor.
Poverty is a global problem that prevents people from having a normal life due to the lack of economic, political, or social resources. The elimination of poverty is an imperative. In order to address it, it is vital to understand the main reasons for the low quality of life which include small income, inadequate property security, bad health, unemployment, and other social injustices. The fact that poverty is predominantly associated with the third world countries does not make the problem irrelevant to highly developed countries. In fact, poverty is also a serious problem for developed countries. The most important factors in solving the poverty problem are the maintenance of economic growth and the provision of state assistance to the poor.
The Causes of Poverty
Poverty in developed and developing countries derives from different sources. Undoubtedly, it mainly affects poor countries. Primarily, it directly relates to the various economic crises in the world. Secondly, social and health factors can lead to poverty. The evidence shows that the most unprotected are people with disabilities, elder citizens, and groups that have a low level of social guarantees (Brady & Burton, 2016). In addition, the demographic factors can also result in poverty. Moreover, people with a low level of education may be affected. In some countries with military conflicts or forced migration, people have no opportunity to work and are forced to experience poverty. In general, uneven development of the regions is the main cause of poverty in third world countries.
There are different approaches to the causes of poverty in developed counties. One of them is the culture of poverty (Reuben, 2015). Supporters of this concept argue that poor people are unable to make changes in their life due to the cycle of poverty (Sevilla, 2015). It means that the attitude towards poverty is passed from one generation to another, which aggravates this problem without a chance to set the new values. Another approach to poverty is determined by a culture of dependence, where the poor are considered as a source of their own misfortunes (Vegh, 2013). In fact, social security programs can become a source of particular mindset which lures people into the poverty trap. Unfortunately, different programs often make the poor cease to rely on their own strength and encourage them to benefit from the society.
Effects of Poverty
Poverty hinders the development of the economy. Namely, it leads to the low purchasing power of society, insufficient demand for goods and services, reduction of the domestic market, and lack of investments in innovations. Indeed, poverty reduces the quality of human life. It affects the health of the nation because people become unable to receive proper healthcare. In addition, poverty leads to a higher level of crimes, drug and alcohol addictions, and various diseases. According to the researchers, poverty has a negative impact on the motivation to work. The social activity of the population changes profoundly. Indifference and ignorance make the economic growth of the country fictitious (Reuben, 2015). In addition to inevitable economic and health problems, poverty has a strong influence on the social life of less-advantaged people.
It is believed that poor people usually suffer from social exclusion. For example, children of poor parents experience limited opportunities in personal and professional development. Moreover, a large contingent of the poor who lack opportunities for a decent life is deprived of a chance to be the active members of social and economic transformations. As a result, they do not integrate into society thinking that they do not have a right to change the situation. The community becomes divided into the groups. This situation manifests in the disappearance of common values, social unity, and interests (Sevilla, 2015). In addition, poor individuals from the minority groups may suffer more due to the widespread racial discrimination and poverty. Nowadays, many immigrants and refugees are marginalized being forced to live in poverty.
Poverty has a long-term impact on the life of a person. In fact, it is known that children who have grown up in poverty are more vulnerable (Sheedy, 2013). For instance, they are more likely to contract a disease, to have learning difficulties, to deviate, to become pregnant early, to have lower skills, and to find badly-paid jobs. Ultimately, the effects of poverty are adverse because it aggravates economic, political, and social aspects of human life.
Overcoming Poverty with Economic Growth