Book Review on Urban Poverty Essay Example for Free

bear Review on Urban Poverty EssayUrban mendicancy is the outcome of urban-bias development projects macrocosm predominantly financed by the external capital, either in the form of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or Aid. The urban-bias industrialization strategy performed as a pull factor for the rural unemployed. This strategy contributed to the expanding of urban slack sectors where unskilled as wholesome as highly unorganized day labours remain concentrated in the urban and semi-urban areas.It is also debated that the redistribution of capital investment towards the rural based agricultural activities including excogitationtation sectors through the merged efforts of both public and private sectors much(prenominal) as civil and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can go a big way to break the growing negative effects of over urbanization on scantness, moral and well-disposed crimes as consequent of silly stinting growth. The author, Pramanik discusses urban meagerness in Malaysia cases.He begins with the overview of the mendicancy scenario followed by research methods and research findings a considerable with summarization policy suggestions. This book contented five chapters including appendices, references and index. In the canonical chapter (pp. 1-5), Pramanik says poverty is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that is hard to come up with a univers wholly toldy acceptable definition of poverty. intimately commonly argued issue on poverty is whether poverty should be looked at from absolute or comparative perspective.Absolute poverty based on specific income level called poverty line income (PLI) that can be calculated either using the market value of a basket full of niftys and services considered subjective for reasonably acceptable standard of living. On the contrary, relative poverty arises when we talk about how good or bad one member is doing in relation to a nonher member living in the like society. According to OBoyle, p overty is a concept that is both absolute and relative because human beings are at the corresponding time individual and social (OBoyle E.J, 1990).In chapter two (pp. 7-20), Pramanik dialog about poverty scenario in Malaysia. He argues that the income poverty using official poverty line income come outs near to the absolute poverty whereas the human poverty based on the degree of human deprivation resembles relative poverty, which is ensuing of unequal access to income earning opportunity. Because of this, the author focuses much on human aspect of poverty in price of its long term implications of social factors.Micro level study (Pramanik, 2004) do suggest that family size either in urban or rural areas of the four concentrated states namely, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perak is quite above the family size used for the theme level. Pramanik (1997 2000) examined that rural poverty in the four poverty-concentrated states on multi dimensional aspects of the problem such as, social, economic, demographic, psychological, political, moral, historical, attitudinal, and natural factors. In chapter third (pp. 5-20), the author discusses regarding research methodology. The study is based on the primary data as well as secondary information.The primary data collected through the administration of well-structured questionnaire in the plaza of 2006. The try out technique used is purposive as well as random and based on donationicipatory observation method. Around 3112 households from 8 major cities living in poverty concentrated areas classified by squatters, low-cost buildings, longhouses etc. were selected for data collection.He defined household as an entity of those living under the same roof as well as eating from the same kitchen. In chapter four (pp. 21-97), he talks about the research findings. The author uses purposive and collecting sampling technique to identify the level of poverty suffered by those living in the squatters and in the area/blocks /buildings designed for the swallow income groups in the major cities of Malaysia. This is because those who are living in these areas suffer different degrees and types of poverty measured by the level of deprivations.The household having little than RM 398(less than half of the poverty line) is called hardcore silly, household earning equal to RM 398 but less than 663 is called overall poor and more than than RM 663 is called non-poor. The best performing state in terms of lowest incidence of overall poverty (0. 9) with no hardcore poor followed by KL (2. 6) and JB (8. 1) inclusive of hardcore and overall poor. While less developed states- KB, KT, and AS, KB experiences the highest incidence of poverty hardcore poor and overall poor of 33. 7 followed by KT (23. 4) and AS (14).On the other hand, Sabah and Sarawak are worst performing states reported in 9MP and his survey data. The author suggests that as cold as poverty reduction is implicated Sabah and Sarawak are still the worst among all other regions states in Malaysia in 2007. The poverty is gender bias is a universal when hardcore poverty is concerned. In terms of hardcore and overall poverty, the female headed households are more likely to be poorer by 50 share compared the male-headed households. The high(prenominal) dependency of more members on a few incomes of earners in the households also creates a reserve on resources allocation by the poor households.Approximately 60 percent of poor households more than two members depend on the income of one earner. The lower dependency has implication for the ability of the poor households to hold out poverty at times of economic recession or messturn since higher dependency manifest through the lower dependency ratio is positively tie in to higher unemployment. Pramanik show on the distribution of households based on the dependency ratio and cities seem to suggest that the relatively higher percentages of households (68. 8) from LDS are associate d with higher dependency as emerged through the lower coefficients of DR (0. ) as opposed to a lower percentage of households from MDS (53. 3) experiencing lower dependency ratio. Human capital is considered as the most fundamental asset. The presence of economic opportunities created by the growth, an individual with one additional year of gentility acquires more ability to compete and gain ground benefits from the market. As for as the illiteracy, the author suggests that the percentage of households having no education in much higher for the triad Least Developed States( LDS) as compare to the More Developed States (MDS).If the education level exceeding 6 years but less than 12 year are considered as a measure of give way educational standard, the highest percentage of household members (72. 7) come from 3 MDS followed by the lowest (57) from the two LDS. The better calibre of spiritedness achievable through higher level of education has convinced the younger generation irre spective of race or geographical distribution of population to pursue education by all assertable government agency. So that government spends money for education, skills and training. Dr. Muhammad Yunus claims that access to credit entry should be treated as a part of human rights.The access to credit empowers the poor households to make use of their survival skills thus unleashing their productive potentials. every(prenominal) human being is imparted with some sorts of surviving skills by the Almighty the creator. Dr. Yunus has proven that an access to small credit can significantly help the asset less poor to unleash their hidden potentials to earn more and combat poverty. The poor have nobody to talk to and no place to go. Sometimes, they have no calculate to do and no food to eat and finally none to depend on. They are always by-passed and looked down upon (Narayan, 2000).The poor are not even trusted because of lack of social status. Of the three races the Chinese seem to be more satisfied with their neighbors (69 percent as very helpful) followed by the Indians (46 percent) and Malays take a middle position (64 percent). The criteria of social capital there appear to be a positive relationship between the lower Mean Monthly Household Income (MMHY) of the Indians and the lower level of trustworthiness as a legate for very helpful neighbors. The relationship between trustworthiness and success in trade seems quite translucent among the Chinese compared to the Malays and the Indians.There are lots of arguments regarding poverty. We are so rich, because they are so poor (Landes, 1998). It means the existence of poor is essential for survival for rich. Yunus believes that the poverty is created by the system (Yunus with Jolis, 1998). The poor in any society are best known for their simplicity, altruism, moderation, complacency, peaceful coexistence, moral, conservative as well as traditionalistic values. The presence of high morality and the future uncertainty, the poverty stricken parents never consider additional babies as a liability.For the poor, children are always considered as assets and blessing of God because they are the ones the poor parents can actually depend on in their old age. Old age pension or insurance for all are hardly found in the developing world, traditional babies are always treated as insurance for the old age. The author found that in general, the respondents from low income urban households give higher anteriority to good values like the spirit of tolerance reflected through ability to respect other races or religion, ability to maintain ones own culture, ability to live like a good human being, having good moral standard.The findings clearly suggest that they show least preference for blindly imitating the life style of the better-off. So, the poor who are known for their simple and moderate life are not the dupe of the demonstration effects. Concentration of power, lack of transparency and good governance among many others, interact to perpetual rottenness in less developed countries (Pramanik, 2003 2007). In last chapter in his book (pp. 97-106), the author summarizes his findings and gives policy suggestions.Firstly, poverty is gender based. As far as poor, inclusive of hardcore and overall poor are concerned the female headed households far outweigh the male headed households. Secondly, there is an inverse relationship between family size and incidence of poverty. Thirdly, higher dependency measured by lower dependency ratio seems to be positively related to the incidence of poverty across the regions. Fourth, the access to human capital in terms of level of education emerges as one of the most important determinants of poverty.Fifth, the access to financial capital in the form of loanword made seems to be a good determinant of household income regardless of regional or racial consideration. Finally, based on the perception of the urban poor about development, Pramani k findings suggest that, the human capital such as easy access to education, social overhead capital encompassing good roads, good and own house, water and electricity deserve the highest priority. The author gives some policy suggestions relevant to the policy-makers, planners and administrators.First, in line with three major strategies such as, enhancing the nations competitiveness, strengthening human capital development and ensuring the well-being of all Malaysians within the contexts of elaborate policy strategies under ninth Malaysian plan, that will be to help the primary and secondary level students from broken families, unemployed parents, low income households living in crammed and unhealthy housing conditions. Second, the plan to establish different growth corridors covering the less and the least developed states.Four, having the good record of NGOs in eradicating poverty and enhancing social-economic well-being of the target groups, the existing public level institutio ns may gradually encourage the NGOs/eudaemonia organization/civil societies supported either publicly or privately to shoulder responsibility in overcoming poverty. Finally, efforts can be made to raise the status of Aim as a full-pledge bank for the poor as like Grameen bank of Bangladesh to deal with poverty eradication.In conclusion it can be utter that the author, Pramanik expounded very well regarding the poverty of Malaysia. The urban poverty is indistinguishably linked to rural poverty. In fact, the former is caused by the latter. The Pull and Push factors can significantly explain the prevailing dismal conditions associated with urban poverty. Based on the details findings on the multi-dimensional aspects of urban poverty, it can be suggested that the development should be taken to the people and not the people to the development which is mostly confined to the urban areas.