Poverty and Capitalism

Date: Dec, 2005
ODID Working Paper No. 134
Author(s): Barbara Harriss-White (QEH)

While it may be possible to mitigate poverty through social transfers, it is not possible to eradicate the processes that create poverty under capitalism. Eight such processes are discussed: i) the creation of the pre-conditions; ii) petty commodity production and trade; iii) technological change and unemployment; iv) (petty) commodification; v) harmful commodities and waste; vi) pauperising crises ; vii) climate-change-related pauperisation; and viii) the un-required and/or incapacitated and/or dependent human body under capitalism. Ways to regulate these processes and to protect against their impacts are discussed. Poverty. Capitalism. Institutions. Political economy. Development

ODID Author(s)