Sixteen Policies for poverty
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Paul Spicker
Abstract
There is no obvious ‘answer’ to poverty. Because the problems are so diverse, it is never possible to deal with every issue. This book is concerned with general issues, though, and it should still be helpful to think generally about what can be done. This final chapter considers some of the main practical options for dealing with poverty.
For the most part, the question of what works, and what does not, depends on the context where it is applied. Many of the measures which have been used to help poor people have to be interpreted according to circumstances. The institution of public works, in the ‘New Deal’ of the 1930s, did much to get the US out of the depression; the same idea, applied in Brazil in the 1950s and early 1960s, led to economic collapse. Nevertheless, we can say with reasonable confidence that some things tend to work, and some don’t.
An example might be individualistic measures, which aim to give poor people a better chance in competition with others. Measures of this sort don’t work. They don’t work, in general, because logically speaking they can’t. In a game of ‘musical chairs’, children run around until the music stops, there are not enough chairs to sit on, and the person who is left standing is out. If one child runs faster, another will be left out instead. Even if everyone runs faster, someone will still be ‘out’; it is built into the game. In the same way, in any system that relies on people competing more effectively, there will still be people who are left out.
Abstract
There is no obvious ‘answer’ to poverty. Because the problems are so diverse, it is never possible to deal with every issue. This book is concerned with general issues, though, and it should still be helpful to think generally about what can be done. This final chapter considers some of the main practical options for dealing with poverty.
For the most part, the question of what works, and what does not, depends on the context where it is applied. Many of the measures which have been used to help poor people have to be interpreted according to circumstances. The institution of public works, in the ‘New Deal’ of the 1930s, did much to get the US out of the depression; the same idea, applied in Brazil in the 1950s and early 1960s, led to economic collapse. Nevertheless, we can say with reasonable confidence that some things tend to work, and some don’t.
An example might be individualistic measures, which aim to give poor people a better chance in competition with others. Measures of this sort don’t work. They don’t work, in general, because logically speaking they can’t. In a game of ‘musical chairs’, children run around until the music stops, there are not enough chairs to sit on, and the person who is left standing is out. If one child runs faster, another will be left out instead. Even if everyone runs faster, someone will still be ‘out’; it is built into the game. In the same way, in any system that relies on people competing more effectively, there will still be people who are left out.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Preface iv
- Acknowledgements vii
- About the author viii
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Understanding poverty
- Defining poverty 3
- Poverty in different societies 11
- Understanding the figures 19
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Poverty as material need
- Concepts of need 29
- Area deprivation 37
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Poverty as economic position
- Economic resources 45
- Class 53
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Poverty and social relationships
- Social exclusion 65
- Dependency 73
- Poverty and politics 83
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Poverty as a moral concept
- The moral dimensions of poverty 93
- The moral condemnation of the poor 101
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Explanations for poverty
- Why people are poor 111
- Why poor countries stay poor 121
-
Responses to poverty
- Responding to poverty 135
- Policies for poverty 143
- Notes 153
- Index 173
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Preface iv
- Acknowledgements vii
- About the author viii
-
Understanding poverty
- Defining poverty 3
- Poverty in different societies 11
- Understanding the figures 19
-
Poverty as material need
- Concepts of need 29
- Area deprivation 37
-
Poverty as economic position
- Economic resources 45
- Class 53
-
Poverty and social relationships
- Social exclusion 65
- Dependency 73
- Poverty and politics 83
-
Poverty as a moral concept
- The moral dimensions of poverty 93
- The moral condemnation of the poor 101
-
Explanations for poverty
- Why people are poor 111
- Why poor countries stay poor 121
-
Responses to poverty
- Responding to poverty 135
- Policies for poverty 143
- Notes 153
- Index 173
