Can Policies Cure The Social Syndrome Behind Poverty

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PEOPLE who are born in a poverty-ridden family are most likely to inherit poverty but yet it is not an inherent characteristic of an individual which therefore makes poverty a social construct rather than a natural phenomenon.
Meanwhile, others describe poverty as a social evil, social injustice, or social inequality—which could be at least theoretically alleviated, if not eliminated, with the right policies.
While there are social, philosophical, and psychological perspectives on poverty, diverse economic theories are also in place for poverty alleviation. Ironically, amid those intellectual discourse, poverty continues to persist.
Purchasing power parity is a common indicator where each nation has its own national poverty line.
For example, in 2022 approximately 18.7% of Bangladeshis, 14% of Turkish, 6.2% of Malaysian, and 11.3% of US citizens live below their respective national poverty lines, i.e., US$2.57, US$7.63, US$21, and US$24.5 per day respectively. Notably, less than US$2.15/day is considered extreme poverty.
In 2000, 2.8 billion people worldwide lived on less than US$2/day. In 2022, the global population of extreme poverty was reduced to 713 million. Albeit with a decreasing rate, poverty continues to exist.
None of the policies such as imposing higher taxes for high-income brackets, curbing inflation, increasing industrial or agricultural productivity, upgrading the monetary system, creating a job market, or controlling state asset ownership seem to effectively alleviate poverty prevalence. On the contrary, those in the end favor the rich.
(Image: Reuters)Those efforts were also proven futile for a number of inapt realities:
There has been a growing number of worldwide forcibly displaced people due to imposed wars, persecution, conflict, (ethnic) violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order – the majority of them are living in poverty.The wealth of the world’s richest 1% has been increasing rapidly—billionaires’ fortunes growing by billions daily, while a majority of the global population faces inflation outpacing wages.The affluent control power politics at a national level, making the economic apparatus favorable for that selected group of the rich population.As such, merely a policy or a government initiative might not suffice. Or else, like any other policies such as those that helped to shape democracy, education, or health, some Nobel-winning economic theories could have been instrumental in eliminating extreme poverty and offering a quality of life to all.For example, no national or international policy could stop the wicked symptoms of raging wars and ethnic cleansing or violence that are at the root of the plight of millions of forcibly displaced people.
Like it or not, almost every nation is burdened with a fraction of those people living in poverty.
Again a policy for salary hike may add more to the monthly savings of a CEO, while a janitor continues to struggle with a tiny increase in their salary.
The policy does not cure the symptom of making the rich richer while keeping the “status quo” of the poor living in poverty.
Furthermore, a policy that allows the usage of AI technology makes the company owners richer with less on their expenditures such as slashing EPF, pension, or health insurance for human workers. That in turn adds to the prevalence of poverty.
Having said that, it is reasonable to argue that poverty is not merely an economic issue—it is a symptom of a deeper social syndrome than merely a social injustice or social inequality perpetuated by systemic inequalities and an ever-widening wealth gap.
Ironically, the symptoms of that social syndrome are not among the poor but is rather with the rich.

As long as the economic apparatus continues to favor the rich becoming richer, any effort to alleviate poverty or pull the poor to become rich might not see the silver lining.
While certain social security policies may provide temporary relief, they rarely address the root causes that keep the cycle of poverty intact. True change requires more than economic restructuring; it demands a shift in collective moral responsibility.
No policy alone can dismantle the structures that allow the wealth of a few to grow at the expense of many.
The persistence of poverty, despite numerous interventions, suggests that solutions must go beyond taxation, wage adjustments, or economic incentives. Instead, they should foster a society where prosperity is shared, and basic human dignity is guaranteed for all.
Until we can cultivate a culture of ethical responsibility—where wealth is not just accumulated but also redistributed to those who are in need —poverty will remain an enduring global challenge.
In the end, the real question is not just whether a policy can fix this social syndrome but whether societies are willing to confront the values and systems that sustain it.
Perhaps the best we could do is to educate ourselves to feel and realise the plights that others suffer for our greed, be it for wealth or power. 
Prof Mohammad is the Deputy Executive Director (Development, Research & Innovation) at International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), Universiti Malaya.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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