💸Principles of Economics Unit 15 – Poverty and Economic Inequality

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Poverty refers to a state of lacking sufficient financial resources to meet basic needs (food, shelter, healthcare)
• Absolute poverty measures poverty in relation to the amount of money necessary to meet basic needs
  • Established poverty line varies across countries
• Relative poverty measures poverty in relation to the economic status of other members of society
  • Usually defined as a household income below a given proportion of average national income
• Income inequality refers to the uneven distribution of income across participants in an economy
• Wealth inequality measures the uneven distribution of assets (real estate, stocks, bonds) across a population
• Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality represented by a number between 0 and 1
  • 0 corresponds to perfect equality and 1 corresponds to perfect inequality
• Lorenz curve is a graphical representation of income or wealth inequality within a population
  • Cumulative percentage of income earned on the vertical axis and the cumulative percentage of people from lowest to highest incomes on the horizontal axis

Causes of Poverty and Inequality

• Lack of access to education and skills training limits opportunities for higher-paying jobs
• Discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, or religion can lead to unequal access to resources and opportunities
• Macroeconomic factors (recession, inflation, unemployment) can disproportionately impact low-income households
• Generational poverty can perpetuate cycles of poverty as children born into low-income families face barriers to upward mobility
• Globalization has led to outsourcing of jobs to lower-wage countries, reducing opportunities for low-skilled workers in developed economies
• Technological advancements can lead to job displacement, particularly in industries relying on manual labor
• Regressive tax systems place a higher burden on low-income earners compared to high-income earners
• Inadequate social safety nets fail to provide sufficient support for individuals and families experiencing poverty

Measuring Poverty and Inequality

• Poverty headcount ratio measures the proportion of a population living below the poverty line
• Poverty gap index measures the intensity of poverty by considering how far, on average, the poor are from the poverty line
• Income quintile ratio compares the average income received by the richest 20% to the poorest 20% of the population
• Palma ratio compares the income share of the top 10% to the bottom 40% of the population
• Theil index measures inequality based on the entropy of the income distribution
  • Ranges from 0 to infinity, with 0 representing perfect equality and higher values representing greater inequality
• Atkinson index incorporates a sensitivity parameter to measure inequality with varying levels of emphasis on the lower end of the income distribution
• Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators
  • Used to rank countries into four tiers of human development

Economic Theories on Poverty

• Classical economics argues that poverty is a result of individual choices and market forces
  • Suggests that competitive markets and economic growth will reduce poverty over time
• Keynesian economics emphasizes the role of aggregate demand in determining output and employment
  • Advocates for government intervention to stimulate demand during economic downturns
• Neoclassical economics focuses on the role of human capital in determining productivity and wages
  • Suggests that investments in education and skills training can reduce poverty
• Marxian economics views poverty as a result of the exploitation of labor by the owners of capital
  • Argues that the capitalist system perpetuates inequality and poverty
• Capability approach, developed by Amartya Sen, emphasizes the role of individual capabilities in determining well-being
  • Suggests that poverty should be measured not just by income, but by access to opportunities and freedoms

Social and Economic Impacts

• Poverty can lead to poor health outcomes due to limited access to healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation
• Children from low-income families are more likely to experience developmental delays and lower educational attainment
• Poverty can contribute to social exclusion and marginalization, leading to reduced social cohesion
• High levels of inequality can lead to social unrest and political instability
• Poverty and inequality can hinder economic growth by reducing aggregate demand and limiting human capital development
• Crime rates tend to be higher in areas with high levels of poverty and inequality
• Poverty can lead to environmental degradation as individuals may resort to unsustainable practices to meet basic needs
• Inequality can lead to reduced trust in institutions and a weakening of democratic processes

Policy Approaches and Interventions

• Progressive taxation systems aim to redistribute income from high-income earners to low-income earners
• Minimum wage laws establish a floor for wages to ensure a basic standard of living for workers
• Social welfare programs (unemployment insurance, food stamps, housing assistance) provide support for low-income individuals and families
• Conditional cash transfer programs provide financial assistance to low-income households in exchange for meeting certain requirements (school attendance, health check-ups)
• Microfinance initiatives provide small loans and financial services to low-income individuals to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment
• Investments in education and skills training can improve human capital and increase access to higher-paying jobs
• Asset-building policies (Individual Development Accounts, Child Savings Accounts) encourage savings and wealth accumulation among low-income households
• Community development initiatives aim to revitalize low-income neighborhoods through investments in infrastructure, housing, and local businesses

Global Perspectives

• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include targets for reducing poverty and inequality worldwide
• The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than $1.90 per day (adjusted for purchasing power parity)
• Developing countries tend to have higher levels of poverty and inequality compared to developed countries
• Globalization has contributed to rising inequality within and between countries
  • Benefits of economic growth have been distributed unevenly
• International aid and development assistance aim to reduce poverty in developing countries
  • Effectiveness of aid is debated, with concerns about dependency and corruption
• Fair trade initiatives aim to improve the livelihoods of producers in developing countries by ensuring fair prices and working conditions
• The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated poverty and inequality worldwide
  • Low-income individuals are more likely to experience job losses and reduced access to healthcare

Debates and Controversies

• There is debate over the effectiveness of market-based solutions versus government interventions in reducing poverty
• The role of globalization in contributing to or alleviating poverty is contested
  • Some argue that it has lifted millions out of poverty, while others argue it has exacerbated inequality
• The measurement of poverty is subject to debate, with disagreements over the appropriate poverty line and the use of income versus multidimensional measures
• There is debate over the extent to which inequality is a problem in itself, separate from poverty
  • Some argue that inequality is necessary for incentivizing innovation and productivity
• The effectiveness of foreign aid in reducing poverty is disputed, with concerns about aid dependency and corruption
• There is debate over the role of individual responsibility versus structural factors in perpetuating poverty
  • Some emphasize the importance of personal choices, while others focus on systemic barriers
• The potential trade-offs between economic growth and inequality reduction are debated
  • Some argue that policies aimed at reducing inequality may hinder economic growth