Poverty Cognizance

Being the very first goal in the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), Zero Poverty is humanity’s most intense project. Eradicating poverty is not an easy task. The free-market economy subscribed by the world somehow contributes to the distortions in how we perceived poverty. The false syllogism by the distortions eventually brings us to an incomprehensive solution to the human race’s most dire problem.

The distortion arises due to the understanding that poverty is only due to a lack of monetary and basic needs, as capitalism concludes it in such ways. Thus, the most embarked solution is cash assistance. While monetary assistance certainly helps the marginalized group, it does not work in the long run. The fact that poverty as a multidimensional problem eludes society’s perception is the reason why the solution is incoherent with the real problem. It is, in fact, erroneous. This is the very reason why being cognizant of poverty in all its form is cardinal.

Poverty must be understood by looking at all facets. A vital question must be asked – why is it onerous to step out of poverty? The way to look at poverty is through structural lenses. Poverty is a structural problem. The very system that makes one rich is the one that makes one poor – the capitalist mode of production.

Capitalism's most fundamental philosophy is to maximize profit. One can argue that the capitalist free market provides a just ground for competition to gain property and flee from the state of poverty. While it does provide justice in the sense of equality in participation, it denies equality in chances. Not all people can get out of poverty this way. In fact, more people find themselves in poverty because of this.

Those who are successful must gain more profits – that is the guiding idea. This opens grounds for the exploitation of other people. People who are trapped in poverty could not get out of it because this exploitation system denies them of their basic needs. UNICEF Malaysia reports on poverty state that most of these people are not registered by the employers for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) or Social Security Organization (SOCSO). This means that these people have zero social security net and received no benefits. They literally have no emergency savings, which will certainly put a seal on their poverty trap. Mere cash assistance could not solve this issue.

To reflect on this issue, one must change the way of looking at poverty. Is their problem only due to monetary deficiency? If so, how can one explain other types of poverty such as space poverty or period poverty? When one opens their eyes and sees how structural this problem is, the solution that will arise is to reform the structure. There are many other dimensions that must be touched upon, rather than a mere economic system. Education is another thing to always be kept in mind.

To eradicate the society of poverty is to educate the society on poverty.

Written by:

Muhammad Aliff Naif Bin Mohd Fizam