or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs
, which commonly includes clean and fresh water
, nutrition
, health care
, education
, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live in absolute poverty today. Relative poverty refers to lacking a usual or socially acceptable level of resources or income as compared with others within a society or country.
For most of history poverty had been mostly accepted as inevitable as traditional modes of production were insufficient to give an entire population a comfortable standard of living
.
In truth, poverty is an anomaly to rich people. It is very difficult to make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell.
Come away; poverty’s catching.
There is a solitude in poverty, but a solitude which restores to each thing its value.
There's no scandal like rags, nor any crime so shameful as poverty.
For the first time in our history it is possible to conquer poverty.
Nil habet infelix paupertas durius in se Quam quod ridiculos homines facit. Poverty is bitter, but it has no harder pang than that it makes men ridiculous.
The greatest of evils and the worst of crimes is poverty.
Poverty is no discrace to a man, but it is confoundedly inconvenient.
To be broke is not a disgrace, it is only a catastrophe.