Definitions of Poverty and Development
Every human being needs a range of basic necessities, such as food, water, clothing, shelter, education, and health care, for his or her daily life. The economic condition of lacking these essential goods and services to meet basic needs of life is called poverty. An increase in poverty leads to stagnation of development, Seers (1977:3). This paper will attempt to look at the theoretical definitions of poverty and development visa a vise the definitions of a common man. This paper will further analyse remedies of poverty from the theoretical and common man’s point of view.
THEORETICAL DEFINITIONS OF POVERTY AND DEVELOPMENT
This part of the paper gives sample definitions of poverty and development from the scholarly perspective.
According to the World Bank (2000), “poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being.” Well-being in this regard is the one articulated by Amartya Sen (1987), who argues that well-being comes from a “capability” to function in society. Thus poverty arises when people lack key capabilities, and so have inadequate income or education, or poor health, or insecurity, or low self confidence, or a sense of powerlessness, or the absence of rights such as freedom of speech. Also Nolan and Whelan, define poverty in terms of the inability to participate in society as a result of lack of resources’ (1996:188). It should be noted therefore that there is no single ‘correct’ definition of poverty. However, as most researchers now accept that any definition has to be understood, at least in part, in relation to particular social, cultural and historical contexts.
Development has been pursued since time immemorial as persons sought ways to improve on their standard of living (Kendie 2011:17). “Development is the process of change through which a society evolves the values, political leadership and other forms of social organization necessary to mobilize and utilized resources in a such a way to maximize the opportunities available to the majority of
THEORETICAL DEFINITIONS OF POVERTY AND DEVELOPMENT
This part of the paper gives sample definitions of poverty and development from the scholarly perspective.
According to the World Bank (2000), “poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being.” Well-being in this regard is the one articulated by Amartya Sen (1987), who argues that well-being comes from a “capability” to function in society. Thus poverty arises when people lack key capabilities, and so have inadequate income or education, or poor health, or insecurity, or low self confidence, or a sense of powerlessness, or the absence of rights such as freedom of speech. Also Nolan and Whelan, define poverty in terms of the inability to participate in society as a result of lack of resources’ (1996:188). It should be noted therefore that there is no single ‘correct’ definition of poverty. However, as most researchers now accept that any definition has to be understood, at least in part, in relation to particular social, cultural and historical contexts.
Development has been pursued since time immemorial as persons sought ways to improve on their standard of living (Kendie 2011:17). “Development is the process of change through which a society evolves the values, political leadership and other forms of social organization necessary to mobilize and utilized resources in a such a way to maximize the opportunities available to the majority of
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