Chapter 8: Poverty

Fortes, Tanhaei, Hernandez, Castro

Theories of Poverty
 Causes of poverty in the United States

- Poverty as a personal failing-

One of the leading causes of poverty in the US is that of peoples own lack of
drive, lack of education, and own personal failings that causes him to stumble
down into poverty

- Poverty as a structural failing-

Another cause of poverty in the US is that Key social and economic structures
failings is one of the main contributor. In which causes jobs to pay less
resulting families to be submerged into poverty
Cause of poverty in developing nations

- Poverty as a Cultural Characteristics-

Culture and the values that each of these societies have are reason that they
are in the cycle of poverty, whether it is Religion, value of work, justice and
time, role of education, etc.

- Poverty as a Label-

Labeling or Branding people those who are in poverty clouds our perception to
see the poor in a negative light. In turn we often devalue thier insights, and
judgements, and opinions that could help shape our society
- Poverty as restriction opportunities-

As a person grows based on their environment, then we could say a person who
lived in a poor environment will have different views and values. A person in
poverty would be alien to those we are in the normal class or above as their
perception and goals would be different from them.
Hunger/Famine
 Hunger/Famine

▶ Famine is an absolute lack of food affecting a large population for a long time
period.
▶ Hunger is not famine! In social science ,Hunger is a condition in which a
person, for a sustained period, is unable to eat sufficient food to meet basic
nutritional needs.
▶ When hunger persists for a longer period, covering a large number of the
population and resulting in mass migration and death, it then becomes
famine.
▶ Famine and hunger are both rooted in food insecurity.
CAUSES HUNGER / FAMINE
 ▶ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdpwggC9E_Y
(Severe drought caused by the so-called El Nino)
▶

▶ To say that the Philippines is prone to natural disasters is an understatement.

On average, 20 typhoons strike the country each year, in addition to
occasional landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods ,fire and volcanic
eruptions– all of which chip away at farmers’ and fishers’ ability to earn a
living
▶ MANILA, Philippines The number of Filipino families experiencing involuntary
hunger decreased in the first quarter of 2018, according to the latest survey
conducted by the Social Weather Stations.
▶ The poll, conducted on March, found that 9.9 percent or around 2.3 million
families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three
months—down by 6 percentage points from the 15.9 percent or around 3.6
million families in December 2017.
▶ Moderate hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a
few times,” while severe hunger refers to those who experienced it “often”
or “always” in the last three months.The hunger level decreased in all areas
in the country since the last survey in December 2017.The first quarter poll
was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults.
▶ Food security, on the one hand, and famine and hunger on the other, are
inversely related concepts. Famine and hunger result from the lack of food
security.
▶ Food security exists when all people at all times have physical, social
and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their
dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
▶ Mainly in poor countries, there are always undernourished and hungry people.
In many poor countries there is seasonal hunger, usually in the months just
before the coming harvest. Vulnerable populations can reach the stage of
famine with slight abnormalities in the food production-distribution-
consumption process.
▶ It has a sampling error margin of ±3% for national percentages, ±6% each for
Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

▶ According to a report by the International Food Policy Research Institute in

2017, the Philippines had a global hunger index of 20.0 percent, ranking 68
out of 119 countries. While this indicates a decrease in hunger incidence by
0.2 percent since 2008, the country’s hunger threat still falls under serious
levels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC0IRDDhz2M
(Why food security is a problem in the Philippines)
Malnutrition & Disease
▶Malnutrition results from a poor diet or a lack of food. It happens when the
intake of nutrients or energy is too high, too low, or poorly balanced.

▶The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions. One is

‘undernutrition’—which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low
weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient
deficiencies or insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals).

What are the consequences of malnutrition?

▶ Malnutrition during childhood can lead not only to long-term health problems
but also to educational challenges and limited work opportunities in the
future. Malnourished children often have smaller babies when they grow up.
▶ It can also slow recovery from wounds and illnesses, and it can complicate
diseases such as measles, pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea. It can leave the
body more susceptible to disease
▶ overty is the most fundamental cause of malnutrition, although many other
factors contribute. Land reform has brought security of tenure and
increasingly is transferring ownership of fields to former tenants of rice and
corn lands
Malnutrition heat map by the World Health Organization. Based on prevalence of
Stunting from 61-120 months children of 5-10 yrs from 2015
Current situation of Malnutrition

▶ President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the establishment of a national

feeding program for undernourished children in public day care centers,
kindergarten, and elementary school.
▶ It orders national government agencies to implement a program with 3
components
▶ Supplemental Feeding Program for Day Care Children - Undernourished
children ages 3 to 5 in day care centers are to be given at least one fortified
meal (meal with improved nutritional quality based on government
standards) for a period of at least 120 days in a year. School-based Feeding.
▶ Program - Undernourished children from kindergarten to Grade 6 are to be
given at least one fortified meal for at least 120 days in a year. This will be
implemented by the Department of Education.
▶ Milk Feeding Program - Fresh milk and fresh milk-based food products
should be included in the fortified meals and cycle menu. This should be
done in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Carabao
Center, and the Cooperative Development Authority.
Consequences of
Poverty
Social Consequences of
Poverty
 Social Consequences

- High Infant Mortality and Annual Death Rate.

- Increase in hygiene and diet related diseases , for example cholera, dysentery,
tuberculosis etc.
- Increased Crime Rate, since people turn desperate to survive in the face of
poverty.
- Increased rate of homeless people
- As poverty sets in, more and more people face greater financial woes - those
who already have a roof over their heads may experience difficulty paying rent
to their landlords, and those without homes cannot afford a home. This will
greatly affect the nation's tourism trade - A street full of beggars and homeless
vagabonds is but an eyesore to tourists.

Poverty poses a great impact on the affected children’s development, both

physically and mentally.
1) 1.7 times more likely to be born with low birth weight,

2) 2 times more likely to repeat a grade in school

3) 3.1 times more likely to have an out-of-wedlock birth than children from
wealthy families.
Poverty takes a toll on poor children’s development. For example, poverty causes
malnutrition which would affect the development of a child’s mental thinking and
healthy body.
Poverty, being a difficult-to-end cycle, will only make the poor even poorer. This is
detrimental to a country’s economy, as children in poor countries are unable to fill
their stomachs, not mentioning to receive education. Hence, there would be a lack of
intelligentsia and educated intellectuals to run the country, and therefore poverty
issues will remain.

The Ex-president of United States Lyndon B. Johnson once said, “When I was young,
poverty was so common that we didn't know it had a name. This shows the deep roots
and implications of poverty in the humanitarian society which is hard to solve. For many
years, efforts were made to solve poverty but to no avail. Poverty penetrates deep into
poor countries and renders them poorer and poorer.
Political Consequences
of Poverty
 Increased risk of war

▶ Nations that are unable to keep up with world economy, lack raw materials
and markets to do so may turn to war in a bid to obtain new markets for its
goods, and simultaneously acquire raw materials from the state as well. This,
however, is not a viable option - often this will lead to international
condemnation, resulting in trade embargos from various countries, or even
conflict between peacekeeping forces (i.e. the UN) and the nation itself.
Therefore, it can be said that such a move isn't ideal - the negative aspects
overshadow the positive ones.
 Mass emigration of population

▶ In the face of a nation's poor economy and weak rule of the government, the
population may seek to migrate to areas with a better-faring economy, where
the trade is more profitable, where there is low cost for all. Since the people
of such poverty-stricken nations choose to migrate in search of better
living/job/social conditions, it may undermine the nation's ability to
recuperate from the far-reaching effects of poverty
 Genocide

▶ This is a most extreme case of poverty, where there has only been one
example in history - Uganda under the regime of the totalitarian and
brutalistic Idi Amin , army colonel turned leader. In this case, Idi Amin
spending spree quickly landed the beleaguered nation to total economic
collapse. It is known that he systematically organized a mass killing pogrom
of his fellow countrymen. Relatives of the victims were to pay an exorbitant
sum to "recover" the bodies, and this was how he kept Uganda's battered
economy afloat.
 Terrorism

▶ Through recent years, analysts have been able to point out that politically
and economically weak nations often fall prey to terrorism. i.e. Afghanistan,
Iraq, Yemen . Poverty too is a major factor in explaining the spike in
terrorism in recent years. Between the years of 1933 to 1973 were times
when Afghanistan experienced political and economic stability. By the end of
the Soviet-Afghan War , the country had been ravaged by infighting and
devestation caused by the Soviets. Only then did terrorism flourish.
Political Consequences
of Poverty
 National Anti-Poverty Commission

▶ The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) is a government agency of the

Republic of the Philippines. It coordinates poverty reduction programs by
national and local governments and ensures that marginalized sectors
participate in government decision-making processes.
 Government Responses to the Crisis

The government’s crisis response strategy primarily seeks to generate jobs,

increase revenues, fast-track infrastructure spending, and reduce
the poverty level to mitigate the impact of the global slowdown. It recognizes
that investment will most likely decelerate and that export performance will be
weak this year and the next. Export-oriented firms and overseas Filipino workers
will be affected the most. Business leaders have called on the government to
support local firms by intensifying the promotion of exports and patronizing local
suppliers for government purchases.
Economic Issues
 Industrialization

▶ is when a society changes that of thrives from agriculture to that of

manufacturing. It provides more opportunities, increased standards of

▶ living, more affordable products, and the construction of Cities.

▶ Even though Industrialization seemed good on paper it did brought up

problems as well. In which are the deterioration of the quality of life for
workers, slums, poor working conditions and slums.
 Capitalism

▶ An economic system where in private sectors are the means of profit and
production that requires a free market economy to succeed and innovation.

▶ Capitalism can lead to us getting the products we want in the of highest

quality for the best price as completion drives them to lower their prices
and as efficient for higher profit.

▶ Even so most capitalists derive their success from inequality as they can the
owners can manipulate this to their benefit, such as giving a huge boost to
election parties that they support. As well as Capitalism pay no mid to
external costs such as pollution.
 Wage hike issues

▶ Wage hike an occurrence where in the average income of individuals are

raised by the government, which will benefit those who are working for
income, but will be
▶ An asset to those who own small time business, and those who are working
with that require a high-skill set to be discourage as those with a low-skill set
be paid almost equally.
 Inflation

▶ Is the rate at which the prices of goods and service rises, and the purchasing
power of a currency is falling. Inflation in itself seem to be negative mostly
but it could a positive if it is controlled and appropriate as employment
increases, consumers have more money to buy goods, and the economy
benefits and grows.

▶ But if inflation grows rapidly and out of control it will have a severe negative
impact such as eroding purchasing power of a currency, raises the cost of
borrowing money from other countries, and increasing prices of goods.
 Rice Crisis

▶ A crisis formed when a country reliant on rice as a part of their daily meals
find that they cannot provide themselves with Rice to feed the people living
in their country. Which they would result to supply themselves with imports
to feed their needs for rice. In turn makes the part of their meals expensive
and unfordable to some.
 Globalization

▶ A state where in that a country would be able to share and take from other
countries trading their goods and products while they receive items that are
unique to certain countries, and with the help of the internet it makes the
world accessible and small.

▶ Globalization can bring fort new opportunities for people looking for jobs
outside the country, culture being shared with others, foreign trade,
competition, and more as globalization as of now has a wide and abstract
range.

▶ With it being abstract and wide Globalization also brings negatives to it such
as lack of jobs for migrants, small local businesses being shot down, mixing of
culture and beliefs, increase in prices, and many others.
Inclusive development
▶ Inclusive development is a pro-poor approach that equally values and
incorporates the contributions of all
▶ Stakeholders - including marginalized groups - in addressing development
issues. It promotes transparency and
▶ Accountability, and enhances development cooperation outcomes through
collaboration between civil society,
▶ Governments and private sector actors.
Inclusive & Exclusive
Institutions
 Inclusive institutions

▶ Bestow equal rights and entitlements, and enable equal opportunities, voice
and access to resources and services.

▶ Are typically based on principles of universality, non-discrimination, or

targeted action. Targeted action is needed where some people and groups are
particularly disadvantaged, and therefore require differential treatment to
achieve the equivalent outcomes.
 Exclusive institutions

▶ Can be manufactured or organic. They range from deliberate discriminatory

legislation, to rules that fail to respond to the particular needs of
marginalized groups

▶ Can enable or reinforce discriminatory behavior towards groups, or whole

sections of society. People and groups commonly discriminated against are
women, people with disabilities, religious minorities, certain castes, ethnic
minorities, and recent migrants. Some institutions are inclusive in some
respects but exclusive in others – for example, political settlements that
ensure elites from all groups benefit, but that non-elites are disadvantaged.
Other institutions act to disadvantage whole sections of society, such as rules
on political transparency, or norms of paying bribes.