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The Measure of Need

An academic exploration of the metrics defining economic hardship worldwide, detailing absolute, relative, and basic needs approaches to poverty measurement.

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Overview

Defining the Threshold

The poverty threshold, often referred to as the poverty line or breadline, represents the minimum income level deemed adequate for an individual or household within a specific country or region. This benchmark is typically established by calculating the aggregate cost of essential necessities for a year, with housing costs often constituting the largest component. These thresholds are subject to annual adjustments to reflect economic changes.

Global vs. National Standards

A critical distinction exists between global and national poverty measures. While developed nations generally employ more generous standards reflecting higher costs of living and societal expectations, developing countries often utilize significantly lower thresholds. This disparity highlights the contextual nature of poverty measurement, influenced by local economic conditions and societal norms.

Key International Figures

The World Bank sets an International Poverty Line (IPL) to standardize global poverty assessment. As of September 2022, this line was updated to $2.15 per day (in Purchasing Power Parity - PPP). Additional benchmarks exist for lower-middle-income countries ($3.65/day PPP) and upper-middle-income countries ($6.85/day PPP), reflecting varying economic capacities.

Historical Context

Early Conceptualizations

The concept of a "poverty line" gained prominence through the work of social investigators like Charles Booth in London at the turn of the 20th century. Booth's studies, alongside those of Seebohm Rowntree in York, established early methodologies for defining poverty based on minimum income required for subsistence, considering essential needs like food, shelter, and clothing.

The Orshansky Threshold

In the United States, the foundational poverty threshold was developed by Mollie Orshansky in the mid-1960s. Her approach involved assessing the cost of a minimal food plan and multiplying it by a factor of three, reflecting the proportion of income typically spent on food. This methodology, with subsequent adjustments for inflation, formed the basis of the official US poverty measure for decades.

Absolute Poverty

Global Standard Definition

Absolute poverty, often equated with extreme poverty, signifies the absence of sufficient resources to meet fundamental life necessities. The World Bank's International Poverty Line (IPL) serves as a global benchmark, currently set at $2.15 per day (PPP) as of September 2022. This measure aims to provide a consistent standard for assessing poverty across diverse global contexts.

The IPL has evolved, with previous figures including $1.25 (2005 PPP) and $1.90 (2011 PPP). Notably, some analyses, such as that by Peter Edward, suggest a significantly higher 'real' poverty line, estimating it at $7.40 per day as of 2015, underscoring the complexities of global comparability.

Global trends indicate a substantial reduction in extreme poverty, falling from over 80% in 1800 to approximately 10% by 2015. However, applying a single monetary threshold worldwide presents challenges due to variations in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) calculations and the unsuitability of standard PPP baskets for accurately reflecting the consumption patterns of the poorest populations.

Basic Needs Approach

Defining Essential Resources

The basic needs approach, particularly relevant for developing countries, defines poverty as the lack of essential resources for physical well-being. This framework typically includes food, safe water, sanitation, shelter, healthcare, education, and information. It emphasizes access to services as a critical component, not solely income.

David Gordon's framework identifies eight key basic needs, defining absolute poverty as the absence of any two of these:

  • Food: Body mass index must be above 16.
  • Safe drinking water: Available nearby (fewer than 15 minutes' walk).
  • Sanitation facilities: Toilets or latrines accessible in or near the home.
  • Health: Treatment received for serious illnesses and pregnancy.
  • Shelter: Homes with fewer than four people per room; floors not soil, mud, or clay.
  • Education: Ability to read and attend school.
  • Information: Access to newspapers, radios, televisions, computers, or telephones at home.
  • Access to services: (Indicates a comprehensive range of education, health, legal, social, and financial services).

This approach has faced criticism for its potential to oversimplify poverty and for lacking scientific rigor, with alternative perspectives like Amartya Sen's focus on 'capabilities' offering different conceptualizations.

Living Income Concept

Beyond Survival

The concept of a living income extends beyond mere survival, defining the net annual income required for a household to afford a decent standard of living. This includes not only basic necessities but also provisions for unexpected events and participation in customary social activities, reflecting a focus on well-being and dignity.

Dynamic Measurement

Calculating a living income is complex and context-specific, necessitating regular adjustments for inflation and local economic shifts. Unlike static poverty lines, living income benchmarks aim to reflect the evolving cost of a decent life, acknowledging that standards of living and societal expectations change over time.

National Poverty Lines

United States Context

In the U.S., poverty thresholds are updated annually by the Census Bureau for statistical purposes and used to determine eligibility for various federal programs, including Medicaid. For 2020, the threshold for a single person was approximately $35 per day. However, the official line is often criticized as being substantially lower than the actual cost of basic needs, particularly when factoring in regional cost-of-living variations.

India's Approach

India differentiates poverty lines for urban and rural populations. As of 2005 data, the urban threshold was approximately $12 per month, while the rural threshold was around $7.50 per month. While poverty rates have declined significantly, these figures illustrate the disparities in measurement based on location.

United Kingdom Standards

The UK's approach often focuses on relative measures, such as a percentage of median earnings. In 2021, it was reported that approximately 5 million jobs (one in six) paid below the real living wage, highlighting concerns about low pay and its impact on living standards, even for those employed.

Poland's Threshold

According to Statistics Poland, the proportion of the population living below the national extreme poverty threshold was 4.2% in 2019. For a single-person household, this threshold was set at approximately 614 zloty per month, equating to roughly $5.21 per day at the time.

Iran's Economic Reality

In Iran, economic challenges, including high inflation, have impacted poverty levels. As of August 2022, the official poverty line was reported at 10 million tomans per month, while the minimum wage was set at 5 million tomans, indicating a significant gap between earnings and basic subsistence needs.

Singapore's Perspective

Singapore does not maintain an official poverty line, with government officials suggesting it might not accurately capture the scope of issues faced by the poor and could inadvertently exclude those just above the line from receiving aid. This approach prioritizes targeted support over a fixed numerical threshold.

Relevance and Policy

Guiding Policy Decisions

Accurate and relevant poverty measures are crucial for effective policymaking. They inform the allocation of social assistance, guide the development of anti-poverty strategies, and enable the evaluation of program effectiveness. Without robust measurement, efforts to alleviate poverty risk being misdirected or insufficient.

Moral and Political Imperative

Beyond empirical data, poverty measurement carries significant moral and political weight. It keeps the issue of poverty on the public agenda, framing it as a societal concern that requires collective action. The choice of measurement methodology itself involves value judgments about what constitutes an acceptable standard of living.

Methodological Limitations

Data Accuracy and Scope

Poverty data collection often relies on self-reported income, which can be subject to inaccuracies or omissions, particularly concerning illegal earnings or informal economic activities. Furthermore, income alone may not fully capture an individual's or household's overall well-being or economic position.

The Challenge of Relativity

Measures of relative poverty, while reflecting societal inequality, can be misleading if solely interpreted as poverty. If everyone's income doubles, relative poverty metrics may show no change, even if absolute living standards improve. This highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of different measurement approaches.

Global Comparability Issues

Comparing poverty across nations is inherently difficult due to significant variations in the cost of living and the composition of essential goods baskets. While PPP adjustments attempt to mitigate this, they may not accurately reflect the consumption patterns of the poorest populations, leading to potential inaccuracies in global poverty estimates.

Impacts of Poverty

Educational Attainment

Living below the poverty threshold can significantly impede educational outcomes. The psychological stress associated with poverty, coupled with potential health issues and underfunded educational resources in low-income communities, can lead to lower academic performance, higher dropout rates, and increased disciplinary problems.

Healthcare Access and Outcomes

Poverty is strongly correlated with reduced access to healthcare. Eligibility for programs like Medicaid is often tied to poverty thresholds, influencing individuals' ability to secure essential medical services. Disparities in health insurance coverage and access to primary care are often observed between those living below and above poverty lines.

Dynamics and Mobility

Poverty is not always a static condition. Individuals and families can move in and out of poverty over their lifetimes. Government transfers and social assistance programs play a crucial role in mitigating poverty, with many recipients transitioning off these programs within a few years, indicating a dynamic relationship between income support and economic stability.

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References

References

  1.  Ravallion, Martin Poverty freak: A Guide to Concepts and Methods. Living Standards Measurement Papers, The World
  2.  Poverty Lines รขย€ย“ Martin Ravallion, in The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, 2nd Edition, London: Palgrave Macmillan
  3.  Hagenaars, Aldi & de Vos, Klaas The Definition and Measurement of Poverty. Journal of Human Resources, 1988
  4.  Hagenaars, Aldi & van Praag, Bernard A Synthesis of Poverty Line Definitions. Review of Income and Wealth, 1985
  5.  Ravallion, Martin; Chen Shaohua & Sangraula, Prem Dollar a day The World Bank Economic Review, 23, 2, 2009, pp. 163รขย€ย“84
  6.  Guidance manual on calculating and visualizing the income gap to a Living Income Benchmark Prepared for the Living Income Community of Practice The Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA) and KIT Royal Tropical Institute July 2020
  7.  "http://inequalitywatch.eu/spip.php?article99" Eurostat 2010
A full list of references for this article are available at the Poverty threshold Wikipedia page

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Disclaimer

Important Notice

This content has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence model and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is based on data sourced from Wikipedia and may not reflect the most current information or provide a comprehensive global perspective.

This is not financial or policy advice. The information presented here should not be considered a substitute for professional consultation with economists, sociologists, or policy experts. Always refer to official sources and consult qualified professionals for specific guidance related to poverty measurement, economic policy, or social welfare.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.