“POVERTY IS THE WORST FORM OF VIOLENCE”- MAHATMA GANDHI

It is a paradox that as India climbs the ladder of economic growth to become the third largest economy of the world in GDP terms, nearly 30% of its population continues to be the victim of poverty. Amartya Sen and Jean Drize call this the “UNCERTAIN GLORY” of India. UNDP’s 2014 multidimensional poverty index holds 56% of India’s population poor against education, health and standards of living indicators.

There are ample studies and statistics to prove that the so-called ‘TRICKLE DOWN THEORY’ has failed to uplift India’s poor masses and that India’s growth story continues to be plagued by the malaise of poverty.

It is a paradox that as India climbs the ladder of economic growth to become the third largest economy of the world in GDP terms, nearly 30% of its population continues to be the victim of poverty. Amartya Sen and Jean Drize call this the “UNCERTAIN GLORY” of India. UNDP’s 2014 multidimensional poverty index holds 56% of India’s population poor against education, health and standards of living indicators.

There are ample studies and statistics to prove that the so-called ‘TRICKLE DOWN THEORY’ has failed to uplift India’s poor masses and that India’s growth story continues to be plagued by the malaise of poverty.

However, what is often ignored and what has impeded our mission against poverty is the true understanding of poverty which goes beyond the simple bread-and-butter issue. Poverty is not simply the absence of means to meet basic subsistence needs but a full-blown ASSAULT ON BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS SOCIETY. It is an assault of the worst kind which renders both the individual and society immobile in ways well beyond any other kind of violence be it caste or communal violence, or state-perpetrated or terrorism-induced violence. It attacks the individual and society at its very root, making it impossible for both to achieve their full potential.

The individual is the primary victim of violence perpetrated by poverty. A poor person gets entangled in a vicious circle that renders him or her weak in multiple dimensions - physical, political, social, economic, and psychological.

The assault of poverty at the most basic level causes bodily harm to an individual. A person inflicted by poverty subsequently suffers from hunger and malnutrition. This impacts his or her health and shortens his or her lifespan.

At the social level, a poor person feels himself to be excluded. This social exclusion is best manifested in the “gated communities” of the middle and rich classes. Access to places of social congregation, social participation and engagement be it public parks or shopping malls, being hindered by “gates” and “security checks”, makes poor people feel their presence being unwanted and undesired. A social chasm has developed between the ‘rich’ and the ‘poor’, with the latter suffering from disenchantment with society in general. Thus, poverty attacks an individual’s social sensibilities. This disenchantment might even take the form of resentment and induce social violence and crimes.

With growing consumerism and materialism in the economy, it is but natural for even a poor person to dream of “the good life” and, when things do not look up for the poor, they are again driven to desolation since even making even basic ends meet is a challenge. Things are compounded with inflation and price rise when these dreams further seem out of grasp. It may then result in petty thefts to even larger organized crimes like smuggling.

At the political level, violence perpetrated by poverty is of the gravest kind. It disempowers an individual, stripping him of all abilities to enjoy the rights and liberties guaranteed to him or her by the constitution. He or she does not participate meaningfully in the polity, there is no active engagement with the state, which further makes it difficult for them to make informed decisions.

At the psychological and cognitive level, the assault of poverty is almost crippling. Since all doors to developing one’s capabilities and potential seem closed, an individual suffers from the feeling of utter worthlessness. He sees no hope for his future which descends into depression and attacks his mental well-being.

An attack so vicious on the individual cannot but leave a deep imprint of destruction on society too, in its make. Society is too impacted by the perils of poverty so much so that it can be seen almost as violence against society.

At the social level, society becomes dysfunctional due to the wide gulf that develops between the rich and poor. Society loses out on social engagement and social cohesion, which hampers peace and harmony in society.

Economically, society loses out on a healthy workforce which can contribute to its growth story. Instead, the economy is burdened with millions being spent on poverty alleviation programs and subsidies that could have been utilized productively elsewhere had poverty not existed in the first place.

Politically, democracy is weakened. Democracy has no meaning if a significant proportion of the population can’t participate in it meaningfully because of poverty. Thus, poverty strikes at the very root of democracy and the empowerment it guarantees to a society practicing it.

Psychologically, society lacks mutual trust, cohesiveness, and harmony. This weakens the bonds among people and rompers their unity.

Thus, poverty has indeed proved to be the worst sort of violence against the individual and society. It injures the individual and society at so many levels that without its complete eradication, the nation cannot progress, and that any growth or development without eradication of poverty would always be weak and incomplete. Gandhi ji who believed poverty to be the worst sort of violence supported “SARVODAYA”, which means “UPLIFT OF ALL”, he asserted that rather than “mass production”, we should have “production by masses”.

Indeed, as Gandhiji's talisman suggests, without uplifting the masses out of poverty nothing can be truly achieved. However, to tackle all forms of violence perpetrated by poverty, we require a change in our approach rather than relying on a spirit of “sharity”, we need to go for a RIGHTS BASED APPROACH. We need to guarantee poor decent standards of life as ENTITLEMENTS, only then can psychological and social dimensions of poverty be eliminated.

To conclude, the violence of poverty against the individual and society can indeed be eliminated by its shoot and root, in all aspects which make poverty the worst sort of violence are understood. Only then can India come out of its paradoxes and achieve a ‘certain’ glory.