What Is Poverty? Essay Example

Poverty is the state of being inferior in terms of resource distribution, cleanliness and beyond. That is the virtue of having less than what the rich people have. According to the writer, fair resources re-distribution is one of the ways to fight against poverty. He further claimed that even if the re-distribution will make everyone poor, it is better than some people been in a position they cannot sustain themselves in term of basic needs (Dalrymple 106-111). However, in the state, re-distribution was the objective of the welfare state yet it did not completely eliminate the poverty. Generally speaking, as long as the rich exist, there must exist poor people as well (Dalrymple 106-111).

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Based on the author's explanation, the poor shall always exist in the society. Less the same, in a different version than that of the traditional way. For instance, an increase in per-capita income and still find others people in foulness. The poor English people live a short life and less healthy than those of their neighbors. The poor relative ill health is more than obvious especially on casual observation and comparison among the rich and those living in the slums. As a matter of fact, one of the Victorian observers noted that poor people have shorter skull than rich people (D Dalrymple). This is attributed to poor diet as well as unfulfilling living conditions.

Similarly, the author exclaimed that the difference in health among the poor and the rich in the modern world is not highly dependent on the economic state. Their poor health has nothing to with the inability to meet the expense of medical services; the inability to buy healthy food or living in poorly sanitized areas (Dalrymple 106-111). Instead, most poor people involve themselves in drug addiction such as smoking. Such activities take lots of money leaving them poorer. Correspondingly, there is high infant mortality among low social class people than those who are rich (Dalrymple 106-111). Most noteworthy, the infant mortality is high among illegitimate births in comparison to legitimate ones. The illegitimacy increases as you descend the social scale. Besides, people among the lowest social class are less likely to stay in marriages. Subsequently, irresponsibility further contributes to the infant mortality (Geremek and Kolakowska).

On the other hand, most people die at the age of 15 to 44 and the common cause of these premature deaths is suicide. Moreover, you will find out that those committing suicide are those who live with their step-parents (Geremek and Kolakowska). Visitors who come to the society are more likely to tell ill health than those who have been around. That is to mean, low-class people among themselves cannot by themselves tell they are not okay. For instance, foreign doctors, especially from Philippines and India, will easily notice the British squalor. The fact that these doctors come from big cities such as Manila, Bombay, and Madras where poverty is not embraced makes them feel enthusiastic especially how whole-heartedly doctors from this city serve the nations without any discrimination (Dalrymple 106-111).

In their homes, poor people are left unattended, where some end up dying. Furthermore, most are much impressed because care in the host country is more than perceived medical assistance. All those who visit the hospital are given food, clothing, shelter, and entertainment (D Dalrymple). Then after working for sometimes, they released that people are ungrateful for what is done to them. For example, one of the patients was brought to the hospital after collapsing from an overdose of heroin. The patient was given intensive care to resuscitate him. However, after regaining, he does feel guilty to a request for another roll-up cigarette (Dalrymple 106-111). Initially, they thought those are among sampling oddity but the situations keep repeating itself more times. For this reason, they consider this behavior as representative of ill-behaved poor people.

According to their normality, it is always good to show some gratitude and good manners after receiving assistance. This clearly reveals some of the behaviors that are associated with poverty. Each time the behavior repeats itself, the opinion keeps on regenerating in their minds. Another incidence happens when a woman suffering due to the drug overdose, a common problem for those who come to the hospital appeared before a doctor who has just arrived from Madras. All the patient could say is that she want to die. Further investigation reveals that the women took the overdose following her ex-boyfriend, who is the father to her eight-month-old child broke into her house (Dalrymple 106-111).

He managed to do so by smashing the front door, broke most of the apartment's contents including her phone. Finally, he got away with $110. As per the doctor view, this is not poverty. Instead, it is, it is consequences of her own behavior. That is to say, she embraced no limits of her own behavior, no fear of possible hunger, condemnation from her parents, neighbors or even God. In collusion, the shabbiness of England is not economic rather than moral, cultural and also spiritual (Dalrymple 106-111).

I strongly agree with the author's view on poverty. Most of the times, poverty is a result of culture, spiritual and moral responsibilities. It is the path that people choose in life that determines their state of living. Even if people embrace free and fair distribution of resources, still you will find some people suffering from poverty again. This is because still some people will spend too much on drug dealing especially Cocaine and smoking addicts (Chambers). As result, the whole family will be left with nothing to consume especially on food, education, and healthcare. Following this, there are high chances that their successive generation will follow suit especially due to life frustration. Most noteworthy, failing to school worsen the situations.

Besides, the choice of a partner plays a critical role when it comes to poverty. Take, for example, the above-mentioned women who his ex-boyfriend destroy all her apartment's belongings. As per her description, he chooses the man from that start without considering other aspects of life since she was desperate. With no place to live with her children, she makes up mind to stay with this man. The man was the drug addict, violent and had another kid with another woman yet he did not act responsibly. In the end, life seems harder that actually it was. Such petty decisions mostly contribute to most poverty situations (Dalrymple 106-111).

Conclusion

Philosophers' insights are much relevant to the topic of poverty. These insights clearly explain the root of evil poverty and its consequences. However, the state of poverty differs from country to the other. The way people were poor in the old days is totally different from that of the present day (Chambers). It can be said that traditional poverty was by chance while today's poverty is what people choose. For instance, choosing to involve yourself in drugs yet sure that it causes harm not only to one's health but also his/her economic state. Such actions show that people are not poor just because they have no money but due to their moral, spiritual and social behaviors. Besides corruption is another aspect that influences the state of resource distribution especially in developing countries.

Works Cited

Chambers, Robert. "What is poverty? Who asks? Who answers?." (2006).

Dalrymple, Theodore. "Oh, to be in England What is Poverty?." City Journal 9 (1999): 106-111.D Dalrymple, Theodore. Life at the bottom: The worldview that makes the underclass. Ivan R. Dee, 2003.

Geremek, Bronislaw, and AgnieszkaKolakowska. Poverty: A history. Oxford: Blackwell, 1994.