INTRODUCTION


This essay discusses about sociology and poverty as to how it is measured.  Sociology when defined is a field of social science that involves in the study of people’s lives, groups and societies in a social context.  Moreover, it has been considered to be a study of social aggregations in which humans interact socially and the entities in which human’s moves through.  How is sociology connected with poverty then?  The society that serves as the structure in which poverty co-existed enables sociologist to study the means in which poverty has penetrated in social structure.  Sociologist can help a lot in a way that their field permits the exploration of the certain aspects that needs to be explored so as to contribute and find solutions to curtail the problems of poverty. Poverty on the other hand is defined by the World Bank in the case of extreme poverty as living on less than US$ (PPP) 1 per day, and moderate poverty as less than a day.  Similarly, poverty can also be viewed as those who live in conditions where the resources are scarce that leads to deprivation of these essential resources to the poor people.  The problem of poverty is already severe and devastating to some parts of the world.  To illustrate the seriousness of the problem brought about by poverty, it is said that one third of deaths are caused by poverty-related causes. In fact, around 11 million of children every year experiences death before they reach the age of 5.  Furthermore, 800 million people go to bed with an empty stomach every night.  Sounds alarming, isn’t it?  Statistics continues to show the vast number of poverty instances that is revealed to the world for the people worldwide to have the awareness and the urgency to fight and call out for solutions to curb down poverty.  However, in spite of the campaigns being started by some concerned international organizations, their efforts may seem not to be enough.  Although, they have done very great help to the developing countries by instilling hope to the poor people and make these people feel that someone still cares for them.  There is a need to call out for more people and convinced them to take part in the efforts to help alleviate the immediate need needed by countries that has been affected by poverty.  Sadly, the three richest people in the world control more wealth than all 600 million people living in the world’s poorest countries. 


 


MAIN PART


Poverty may seem to be immeasurable because of its increasing numbers and pervasiveness.  Though it seems to be the case, poverty can still be quantifiable in different ways.  Poverty when measured includes the terms absolute poverty, relative poverty, primary poverty and secondary poverty and disaggregating uses by means of a vector measure. These are only few of the measures used to quantify poverty.  Absolute poverty pertains to the sets of standards that remain stable and show consistency over time.  Perhaps, absolute poverty refers to the objective interpretation of poverty since it examined the salient features in the society such as poor people who generate less income, least education and lowest in social status.  The application of absolute poverty can be measured and can be interpreted simply of what is seen as a whole particularly in countries who conspicuously experienced poverty.


Second measure is the relative poverty as it refers to the dependency of the social context.  It is relatively measured by comparing 1/3 of the poorest population to 1% of the richest or of the well-off.  Relative poverty  measure that more or less they fall into the context of generalization since it only computes the resources that is acquired by the rich and what is not acquired by the poor.  The resulting measurement may not be readily conceivable as concluded because it is evident that there is a case of extreme inequality in the acquisition of resources and poverty condition cannot be closely examined if the variable is limited.  Wherein, we know that poverty evolves by several factors.


Primary and secondary poverty is purported from the research by   (1901), defining primary poverty as the inability to acquire enough income to buy the basic necessities needed in everyday living.  Consequently, secondary poverty refers to instances wherein the incomes are only adequate for the basic needs but not on other things that are not prioritizable like hygiene needs.  However, the use of primary poverty measures the inconsistency of arriving at a poverty line.  The method of assumption of primary poverty is quite unrealistic, because of the fact that poverty line does not include public services, such as in education and health services, being utilized to be free of charge.  Public services are being used to sustain and have access to these free services from the government.


The disaggregating approach to measure poverty is a survey conducted to examine the satisfaction level in terms of basic needs. If answers to the satisfaction level results to exhibit inadequate level, it will be accounted as poor.  Basic needs are basically the most essential thing an individual needs to acquire and to provide the body with enough energy.  In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the basic need is ranked at the bottom, thereby, it implies that satisfaction from these needs would entail that one can afford to maintain a certain level and can advance in the pyramid to the next need.  Dissatisfaction in the basic needs means one have a hard time being able to keep up in the basic needs that an individual needs everyday.  In agreement with the disaggregating approach, the inability to sustain and meet the basic needs requirement means that you lack sufficient income, ergo; one can be considered poor and is susceptible to poverty.


 


 


 


 


 


CONCLUSION


 


            Poverty posits a very big problem to the world.  If not being closely looked into, it’s tremendous impact would be felt globally.  People as much as possible could get themselves involved in the campaigns being launched, to support the world is undoubtedly needed by everyone to do a fair share on their part in gradually eradicating poverty.


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


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