Smoke and mirrors? The science of poverty measurement and its application
Measures of poverty are much used, but also much criticised as having limited value in debates on public resource allocation. Some argue that the measures are too conservative and do little more than complicate important issues of inequality and injustice. However, poverty measurement
can be sensitive to these concerns if grounded in the field's well-developed theoretical foundation. In South Africa, poverty measures over more than 50 years have consistently taken into account distributional issues and the causes and implications of deprivation, and most South African analyses
of poverty have recognised and incorporated the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. Recognising different perceptions of aggregation, time horizon and the role of states and markets is perhaps more important than methodology when assessing what poverty measures can contribute. With proper
theorisation, and attention paid to the purpose of poverty diagnostics, measurement is more than sleight-of-hand and can provide both a tool for advocacy and a means to implement policies that promote greater social justice.
Keywords: A11; B20; I32; inequality; poverty lines; poverty measures
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: School of Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban
Publication date: 01 March 2012
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