Poverty reduction stands in the centre of the current development agenda of governments and aid agencies and is seen as an overarching aim of development intervention.
There is a danger that those suffering the severest forms of poverty will not be reached by the recent poverty agenda. It gets increasingly obvious that even in countries that perform well in terms of poverty reduction, there remains significant numbers of people in deprivation which is a sign that certain forms of poverty are not addressed by the current development agenda (Green and Hulme, 2005). The concept ‘chronic poverty’ is an attempt to understand and address those forms of poverty.
Chronically poor are defined as “people who remain poor for much of their life course, who may ‘pass on’ their poverty to their children, and who may die of easily prevent-able deaths because of the poverty they experience” (CPRC, 2004: 3) . Conservative estimates speak of 300 to 420 million chronically poor worldwide (ibid.).
The following three sections attempt to answer the question of whether the concept of ‘chronic poverty’ adds value to current poverty analysis and development policy. Sec-tion 2 introduces the concept ‘chronic poverty’ and section 3 gives an overview about current poverty analysis and its critiques, with a focus on current approaches and un-derstandings of poverty which influence the current poverty reduction agenda. Section 4 presents the analysis of whether the concept adds value to poverty analysis and the implications this may have for pro-poor policy making.
It will be argued that the concept of ‘chronic poverty’ has advantages on the conceptual level of poverty analysis and on the practical level of development policy and intervention. Those levels are highly interdependent: which measures are taken to fight poverty is dependant on how it is analysed and defined by academics, donors, societies and national decision makers. Therefore section four is divided into two parts: The first part will discuss the influences for conceptualising poverty and the second part will concentrate on practical implications for development policy and intervention.
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Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Chronic Poverty
- 3. Current poverty analysis and development policy
- 4. Value of the concept of 'chronic poverty'
- 4.1. Implications of the concept ‘chronic poverty' on a conceptual level
- 4.2. Implications of the concept ‘chronic poverty' for development policy and intervention
- 5. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the value of the "chronic poverty" concept in poverty analysis and its implications for pro-poor policy. It investigates whether this concept enhances current approaches and what changes it necessitates in development strategies.
- Defining and differentiating chronic poverty from transient poverty.
- Analyzing the limitations of current poverty analysis and development policies.
- Exploring the conceptual implications of the chronic poverty concept.
- Examining the practical implications for development policy and intervention.
- Identifying the challenges in addressing chronic poverty and proposing potential solutions.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage by highlighting the central role of poverty reduction in the global development agenda. It mentions the prominent role of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) in shaping international and national efforts. However, it also points out the limitations of these initiatives, particularly their failure to adequately address the persistent issue of chronic poverty. The chapter introduces the concept of chronic poverty, defining it and establishing its significance as a crucial area needing more focused attention in development strategies. The introduction clearly states the central research question of the paper: Does the concept of chronic poverty add value to poverty analysis and what difference would it make to pro-poor policy making if taken seriously?
2. Chronic Poverty: This chapter delves into the definition and characteristics of chronic poverty, distinguishing it from transient poverty. It emphasizes the long-term nature of chronic poverty, often spanning generations, and its association with multidimensional deprivations encompassing not only income but also access to services, assets, and social capital. The chapter uses the example of Figure 1 to illustrate the different forms of poverty and highlights the heterogeneity of the chronically poor population, noting their often-invisible presence in policy discussions. Further, it explores the various factors contributing to chronic poverty, differentiating between maintaining causes (e.g., low growth, social exclusion) and driving causes (e.g., shocks like illness or natural disasters) that trap individuals and families in persistent poverty. The chapter underscores the intergenerational transmission of poverty and its resistance to traditional economic growth strategies.
3. Current poverty analysis and development policy: This chapter critiques the prevailing poverty analysis and development policy approaches prevalent until the 1990s. It discusses the shift from a solely material focus (low income, wealth) towards a broader understanding of poverty that includes vulnerability and multidimensional deprivation. The chapter cites the World Development Report (WDR) 2000-01 as a key example of this shift, with its emphasis on opportunity, empowerment, and security. Despite this progress, the chapter argues that the emphasis remains predominantly on economic growth strategies, neglecting the specific needs of the chronically poor. It highlights the inadequacy of current PRSPs in addressing the issues faced by those experiencing chronic poverty, demonstrating the disconnect between rhetoric and reality in poverty reduction strategies.
Keywords
Chronic poverty, poverty analysis, development policy, poverty reduction, multidimensional poverty, vulnerability, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), pro-poor policies, transient poverty, intergenerational poverty, social exclusion, economic growth.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive preview of a paper examining the value of the "chronic poverty" concept in poverty analysis and its implications for pro-poor policy. It explores whether this concept improves current approaches and what changes it necessitates in development strategies.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include defining and differentiating chronic poverty from transient poverty; analyzing limitations of current poverty analysis and development policies; exploring the conceptual implications of the chronic poverty concept; examining practical implications for development policy and intervention; and identifying challenges in addressing chronic poverty and proposing potential solutions.
What are the main chapters and their summaries?
Chapter 1: Introduction: Introduces the concept of chronic poverty, its significance, and the research question: Does the concept add value to poverty analysis and influence pro-poor policy? It highlights limitations of existing initiatives like MDGs and PRSPs in addressing chronic poverty.
Chapter 2: Chronic Poverty: Defines and characterizes chronic poverty, differentiating it from transient poverty. It emphasizes its long-term nature, multidimensional deprivations, and contributing factors (maintaining and driving causes). The intergenerational transmission of poverty and its resistance to traditional growth strategies are also discussed.
Chapter 3: Current poverty analysis and development policy: Critiques existing poverty analysis and development policy approaches, noting the shift towards a broader understanding of poverty but highlighting the inadequacy of current PRSPs in addressing chronic poverty. It points out the disconnect between rhetoric and reality in poverty reduction strategies.
Chapter 4: Value of the concept of 'chronic poverty': This chapter delves into the implications of the chronic poverty concept on a conceptual level and for development policy and intervention. It likely expands on the themes introduced in previous chapters.
Chapter 5: Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the findings and concludes the discussion on the value of the chronic poverty concept and its implications.
What is the difference between chronic and transient poverty?
The paper distinguishes between chronic poverty, which is long-term and often spans generations, involving multidimensional deprivations, and transient poverty, which is temporary and less deeply entrenched.
How does the paper critique current poverty analysis and development policies?
The paper critiques the predominant focus on economic growth strategies, neglecting the specific needs of the chronically poor, and points to inadequacies in existing Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) in effectively addressing chronic poverty.
What are the key implications of the "chronic poverty" concept for development policy?
The paper explores how the concept of chronic poverty necessitates changes in development strategies, emphasizing the need for interventions beyond economic growth to address the multidimensional aspects of persistent poverty.
What keywords are associated with this paper?
Keywords include chronic poverty, poverty analysis, development policy, poverty reduction, multidimensional poverty, vulnerability, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), pro-poor policies, transient poverty, intergenerational poverty, social exclusion, and economic growth.
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- Cynthia Dittmar (Author), 2008, The concept of 'chronic poverty', its value for poverty analysis and for pro-poor policy making, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/131932
