Poverty: Origins, Causes & Avoidance

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the origins, causes, and potential avoidance of poverty, examining historical, social, and economic perspectives. Participants consider whether poverty is an inevitable aspect of human society or if it could have been prevented, with references to various social structures and historical contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that poverty began with the emergence of social hierarchies and class systems, possibly dating back to early human settlements.
  • Others argue that poverty has always existed, asserting that it is a constant aspect of human civilization, evolving alongside societal structures.
  • A few contributions highlight the role of economic disparity and the impact of factors such as natural disasters, warfare, and social organization on poverty levels.
  • Some participants reference specific examples from animal behavior, such as Japanese macaques, to illustrate concepts of privilege and poverty.
  • There are discussions about the relationship between monetary systems and class structures, with references to David Graeber's work.
  • Several participants propose that poverty is not a static condition and can fluctuate based on societal changes and historical events.
  • One participant introduces a probabilistic model to explain how wealth distribution among farmers might lead to varying levels of poverty.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the nature and origins of poverty, with no clear consensus reached. Some agree on the historical presence of poverty, while others contest its inevitability and the factors contributing to its development.

Contextual Notes

Limitations in the discussion include varying definitions of poverty, the complexity of historical contexts, and the lack of specific timelines or events pinpointing the onset of poverty.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying social sciences, economics, history, or anthropology, as well as individuals curious about the dynamics of poverty and societal structures.

  • #31
russ_watters said:
The zero point from which development is measured. All animals are poor and all humans were poor prior to the development of civilization.

There were huge herds of animals and flocks of birds, so I think that animals were much wealthier than they are now. I'd say extinction of a species is the ultimate in poverty.

As to human beings, consider the Hopi tribe. They seem to have been the first tribe in North America, so in effect they owned the entire continent. They left mounds behind, like the Ohio serpent mound, so there is evidence that they traveled over the entire continent. There was such a wealth of animal life that hunting was easy. One might consider them fabulously wealthy.

BUT the original poster has clarified that the issue under discussion is economic disparity, so all this is irrelevant. He seems to be interested in civilizations.

Originally all wealth came from the land. Some lands produced more human-usable wealth than others, so there was a natural disparity. This remains.

I would guess that the ancient practice of slavery introduced artificial economic disparity. It was certainly one of the earliest forms.
 

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