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Poverty and Income Inequality
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Human Poverty Index
The Human Poverty Index (HPI) quantifies poverty by considering life expectancy, education, and standard of living, hence going beyond income-based measures. It underscores the multidimensional nature of poverty and its broad social impacts, including on health and education.
Informal Economy
The informal economy includes economic activities that are not regulated by the government or covered by formal labor legislation and social protection. While it offers a livelihood for many, it can also reinforce poverty and exploitation due to lack of legal protections and benefits.
Social Mobility
Social mobility refers to the ability of individuals to move within or between social strata in a society. High levels of income inequality can impede social mobility, leading to a stratified society where one's socioeconomic status is largely determined at birth.
Poverty Line
The poverty line is a threshold used to quantify the minimum income necessary to afford basic needs. It varies by country and area due to different living standards and costs. Falling below this line can lead to various adverse social consequences, such as increased crime, poor educational outcomes, and strained public resources.
Minimum Wage
Minimum wage is the lowest legal salary that can be paid to workers, aimed at preventing exploitation. However, if not adjusted correctly, it can lead to unemployment or insufficient income leading to social issues like working poverty and decreased quality of life.
Living Wage
A living wage is an aspirational income level above the minimum wage that should allow employees to afford a basic but decent lifestyle, covering expenses for food, housing, health, education, and savings. A living wage can reduce poverty rates and improve community health and morale.
Poverty Cycle
The poverty cycle refers to the self-reinforcing mechanisms that cause poverty to persist across generations. Key factors include inadequate education, poor health, and limited access to credit. Breaking the cycle is crucial for improving long-term social and economic outcomes.
Universal Basic Income
Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a model for providing all citizens with a regular, unconditional sum of money, irrespective of employment status. Its potential social impact includes poverty reduction, increased financial security, and the stimulation of economic activity, but debates on its affordability and effects on labor motivation continue.
Subsistence Agriculture
Subsistence agriculture involves growing crops and raising livestock primarily for the farmer's own consumption, rather than for sale or trade. This can lock farmers in poverty due to the lack of surplus for trade and susceptibility to crop failures or natural disasters.
Relative Poverty
Relative poverty measures how a person's income compares to the average income in a society, highlighting disparities in wealth and standard of living. Social impacts include social exclusion, limited access to services, and a decrease in well-being and happiness.
Microfinance
Microfinance provides small loans and other financial services to individuals lacking access to traditional banking. It's aimed at empowering the poor to engage in business ventures, improve their income levels, and potentially reduce poverty.
Gender Wage Gap
The gender wage gap is the difference in earnings between women and men in the workforce. This gap contributes to income inequality and has far-reaching social impacts, such as affecting women's economic independence and perpetuating gendered poverty.
Working Poor
The working poor are individuals who spend an excessive number of hours working yet remain below the poverty line due to low earnings. Their situation highlights the shortfall of certain jobs to provide a living wage, fueling ongoing debates about wage standards and workers' rights.
Absolute Poverty
Absolute poverty refers to a standard that is the same in all countries and which does not change over time. It considers the ability of people to meet their basic needs such as food, shelter, and water. Its social impact includes increased mortality rates, poor health, and inability to access education or contribute productively to society.
Welfare Programs
Welfare programs are government initiatives designed to support individuals or families in meeting their basic needs, such as food stamps or subsidized housing. While intended to alleviate poverty, they can be controversial and may dissuade self-sufficiency if not well-structured.
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is a measure used to compare different countries' incomes by adjusting for the cost of living and inflation rates. It's an important tool for assessing poverty and equality internationally because it provides a more accurate picture of living standards across countries.
Structural Unemployment
Structural unemployment occurs when there is a mismatch between the skills of the workforce and the demands of the labor market. It contributes to income inequality because affected individuals may find it difficult to secure employment without additional training, leading to long-term joblessness and its associated social ills.
Digital Divide
The digital divide refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that don't or have restricted access. It exacerbates inequality by hindering access to education, employment opportunities, and socioeconomic development.
Public Goods
Public goods are non-excludable and non-rivalrous services or commodities provided by the government to benefit society, such as education and infrastructure. Equitable access to public goods can reduce poverty and inequality by providing individuals with opportunities to improve their socioeconomic status.
Gini Coefficient
The Gini coefficient measures the extent of income inequality in a society, with values ranging from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality). It is socially impactful as high Gini coefficients are often associated with higher levels of social unrest and diminished social mobility.
Income Distribution
Income distribution refers to how a nation's total GDP is spread among its population. Income disparities often result in a concentration of wealth among a small proportion of citizens, which increases social tensions and creates barriers to economic mobility.
Precarious Employment
Precarious employment is characterized by insecurity, lack of benefits, and low wages. These jobs are often temporary or contractual and do not provide the stability or benefits of full-time employment, contributing to economic vulnerability and income inequality.
Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. It is both a cause and a consequence of poverty and can lead to malnutrition, stunted development among children, and other social issues.
Progressive Taxation
Progressive taxation imposes a higher tax rate on those with higher incomes. It is intended to reduce income inequality by redistributing wealth more fairly across society. However, it has critics who argue it can disincentivize investment and high earnings.
Social Safety Net
Social safety nets are sets of government-mandated programs designed to provide financial support to the vulnerable and reduce the impact of poverty and income shocks. Properly implemented, they enhance social stability and empower individuals to improve their circumstances.
Child Poverty
Child poverty is the occurrence of poverty among children, often resulting in severe consequences for education, health, and future earning potential. Addressing child poverty is vital for breaking the poverty cycle and ensuring social cohesion and economic stability.
Regressive Taxation
Regressive taxation imposes a higher relative tax burden on lower-income earners than on higher-income earners. This form of taxation can exacerbate income inequality and reduce the disposable income available to the poor, affecting their ability to afford basic needs.
Human Capital
Human capital refers to the economic value of a worker's experience and skills. Investing in human capital, like education and health, can decrease poverty by increasing employability and income potential, and has a positive social impact by fostering an educated workforce.
Lorenz Curve
The Lorenz Curve graphically represents inequality of income distribution within a population. The further the curve is from the line of equality, the greater the inequality. Its social impact includes highlighting disparities which can inform public policy aimed at wealth redistribution.
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