The Roots of PovertyRemedying only
superficial manifestations of deeper underlying problems of extreme poverty will never end poverty itself. At best, this approach will temporarily relieve urgent problems; at worst, it will exacerbate them or create long-term trade-off problems. If we want to eliminate poverty, we must look at its roots and apply sustainable, pragmatic development solutions.
There are many popular misconceptions about underdeveloped countries that prevent both politicians and private citizens from seriously considering solutions. Some people think less developed countries (LDCs) are poor as result of laziness, mismanagement, and corruption. While corruption and mismanagement do play a role in inefficient and criminal diversion of aid funds, they definitely do not make it impossible to conduct successful development operations--unless, of course, we use corrupt regimes as a justification to not give aid at all.
So what are some of common root causes of poverty? Each of following roots of poverty can be eliminated through development projects when they bypass government involvement or develop mutual-accountability agreements with governments to ensure best results for program constituents:
Geographic Isolation:
Geographic isolation actually occurs on two levels: 1) within regions and continents; and 2) within countries. The first type of geographic isolation generally includes countries that are landlocked hundreds of miles away from closest port. These countries end up paying excessive fees and costs for freight to export and import goods. The other type of isolation--that occurs within countries--generally includes villages that are separated from rest of country because of a lack of infrastructure. These villages typically lack electricity, adequate food markets, and adequate sources of clean water.
Inadequate Access to Medical Clinics:
Most citizens of Third World lack access to medical clinics and basic medical counseling. This is generally because governments in LDCs do not have enough resources to sponsor sufficient medical programs. Many LDCs also lack medical professionals as a result of underfunded educational systems. When people cannot visit clinics regularly, they do not get counseling they need to prevent illness and often end up incapacitated by easily- curable illnesses and parasites, such as worms.
