When we think about the poor, often the first images that pop up in our head are of starving children or people living in huts. Although these images may be related, they don’t tell the whole story. People living in poverty around the world have plenty of food, but they often don’t have the money to buy what they want. This often leads to poor health and low productivity, which makes it even more difficult to escape poverty. The following are some of the reasons why the world’s poor go hungry:
Underemployment
In many parts of the world, there are simply not enough jobs for everyone. Even in places where there are plenty of jobs, people often cannot afford to live on what they make. In situations like this, it is almost impossible to avoid poverty. It’s important to remember that even when times are good and there are plenty of jobs, people in poverty can still find themselves in a situation where life seems meaningless and there is no escape from the cycle of poverty.
Income Inequality
If you’re born poor, it’s virtually impossible to become rich. The odds are stacked against you. There are just not enough jobs to go around, and the competition is becoming more and more fierce. If you have a college degree and you’re still struggling to find a good job, then you may be tempted to believe that there is something wrong with you. Nothing could be further from the truth. The problem is that there are just not enough jobs available, and the competition is becoming fiercer.
As a result of this, income inequality is at an all-time high. The World Bank states that globally, the top 1% earn more than the rest of the world combined. In terms of income, the top 1% earn more than the bottom 99% put together. This is a trend that is being repeated across the world. Only in countries where there are lots of jobs and opportunities can someone climb out of poverty and enjoy a middle-class lifestyle. In many other places, it is likely that they will stay poor.
Familial Dependency
Many people who are or have been in poverty find themselves trapped in a cycle of dependency. Once they are out of money, they have to rely on friends and family for help. This makes them weak, which in turn makes it more likely that they will be taken advantage of yet again. Sometimes this cycle of poverty can be so severe that it is impossible to escape it or to break the chain. This is especially common in cases where children are born into the family and there is no other source of income. If any of these children want to break out of the cycle and have a chance at a better life, they have to do it on their own. This is extremely difficult, and it is often easier for them to just keep sinking lower and lower into the pit of poverty.
Material Inequality
Wherever you look, you will see that wealth is unequally distributed throughout the world. The distribution of wealth is a major issue, especially since the majority of the poor do not own the resources that they need to lead a decent quality life. For instance, if someone is struggling to make it through each month just to survive, it is not uncommon for them to resort to theft or borrowing to make ends meet. This is why material inequality is such a pressing issue.
The material differences in terms of what people have is often more important than the fact that they are poor or rich. There are entire books written about the subject of wealth inequality, and some of the statistics that are mentioned therein are truly shocking. The bottom line is that poverty and wealth are intrinsically linked, and this should not be a controversial statement. If you’re going to live in poverty, then you may as well do it in style.
Inefficiency
The fact that the poor go hungry does not mean that everything in their lives is wrong or inefficient. It simply means that they are unable to access resources that would allow them to live a better life. This could be caused by many factors, but inefficiency is probably the most significant one. Inefficiency occurs when resources are not used in the most effective way possible and when there is unproductive activity. This means that even when there are plenty of jobs and opportunities, someone may not be able to make the most of it due to inefficiency in terms of organization and management. This ultimately leads to poverty, since inefficiency prevents people from accessing the resources that they need to thrive. Inefficiency is a key driver of poverty, even when there is plenty of employment. It would be a mistake to assume that just because someone is poor that they are necessarily inefficient or incapable. This is why gathering data on inefficiency is so important, especially in cases where there are no indicators of productivity or efficiency.
Productivity is undoubtedly important, but in many cases, it is not possible to accurately measure it. Even when you try to measure productivity, there are always going to be shortcomings. In some instances, people may be dishonest about their hours or may not put in the optimal amount of effort, knowing that it will be hard for employers to verify the hours that they claim to have worked. All of this prevents employers from accurately assessing whether or not someone is productive, which ultimately leads to inefficiency and the continuation of poverty.
Rational Inattention
Sometimes it is simply the case that people have given up trying to improve their lot in life. They have resigned themselves to the fact that regardless of what they do, they will never be able to escape poverty. This may be caused by a lack of desire or a sense of hopelessness, but it can also be a simple case of someone having full attention dedicated to trying to stay poor. In some instances, people have simply decided to live in poverty and have accepted it as their lot in life. When someone decides to live in poverty, they often also decide to eat what is available, which is oftentimes plain and simple carbohydrates. This often leads to diabetes and other forms of chronic disease. These are the people that tend to suffer the most from hunger, as their bodies have not fully adapted to their poor diet.
Short-term Thinking
When we are born and raised in poverty, it is often difficult to think beyond the next few hours or days, unless you are really, truly desperate. It is easy for someone who is living in poverty to lose hope, as there are simply so many barriers in their way. This is why it is important to keep thinking about the future and to try to envision a way out of their situation. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done, as it requires an immense amount of mental fortitude. The majority of the world’s poor are plagued by this issue of short-term thinking and the inability to think about the future. This makes it all the more difficult for them to escape poverty. Many of them end up working multiple jobs just to make ends meet, which often leaves them exhausted and depleted of all their energy.
People living in poverty are not lazy or weak. They are often just plain unlucky. Wherever you look, you will see that poverty is a global issue and that it is not just a case of there not being enough jobs or opportunities available. If you’re going to live in poverty, then you may as well do it in style.