mattberkley
3 Nov 2015 9:13


To judge "extreme poverty" people need to look at survival rates as well as just the survivors.

The same applies to hungry people and other deprived groups.

http://www.mattberkley.com/morduch.htm
http://www.mattberkley.com/survival.htm
http://www.mattberkley.com/economist.htm
http://www.mattberkley.com/thoughts.pdf

Even where that is known not to apply to a significant extent, and even at a higher dollar line, spending cannot capture poverty.

That is because:

Poverty is where resources are not enough to meet needs.

For example, there are no good estimates of water quality.

Therefore, we can't say whether people's basic needs are met.

Therefore, we can't say how many people are poor.

Even if I do know my or someone else's consumption adequacy, that still does not tell me about economic poverty.

Suppose someone can afford to eat better this year. They are not necessarily richer. Why?

Better consumption may be financed by debt, asset sales, environmental degradation and so on.

Someone else might have a smaller increase in consumption adequacy, but keep or increase their land, or decrease their debts.

The fact that people spend more does not necessarily mean they are better off.

...............


Above comment on:
 
Could you live on $1.90 a day? That's the international poverty line | Working in development | The Guardian 
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/nov/01/global-poverty-is-worse-than-you-think-could-you-live-on-190-a-day