KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — A common view of poverty is that it is often the result of laziness, which can have far-reaching implications when held by policymakers.

Over the years, research has increasingly shown poverty to be the result of social immobility, stemming from lack of access to basic services such as education, nutrition or social and cultural capital.

Still, there remain persistent views of poverty as a character flaw, and that it can be escaped with just hard work and motivation.

Why is this problematic?

According to Zuohair Rosli, an economist who studies urban poverty and advises the government about policy interventions, the view that there are “lazy” and “hard-working” poor reinforces discriminatory practices in aid distribution.

This can lead to more problems, including keeping poor families impoverished as well as stigmatising the phenomenon in a way that would discourage those in poverty from seeking the aid and support programmes meant to lift them out of it.

Poverty is also not only a financial situation, and can also have significant implications to a household social health as well as mental wellbeing.

Studies show poverty stigma can deter poor households from wanting to seek or accept support. Shaming the poor have also shown to amplify ostracisation.

What causes poverty, then?

People can be poor because of various socio-economic factors or circumstances.

Citing his studies on poverty, Zuohair said those in poverty are often poor in more ways than just money alone.

For instance, they may have less time due to working longer hours in informal jobs. They may also be stuck in these jobs as they have no buffer or safety net to take chances that could result in unemployment, however brief.

Zuohair said those perpetuating the myth of the lazy poor were instead protecting the status quo.

“One of the reasons it’s in their interest to do so is because they want to divert the conversation away from scrutiny of a system that they've unfairly benefited from, created inequality and poverty in the first place and then try to shift blame onto the individual,” he said.

How should we talk about poverty?

Human rights-based anti-poverty groups have recommended framing the conversation about poverty as an issue of economic injustice and in relation to wealth inequality.

Scholar Christopher Choong also said it was important not to treat poverty as a spectacle.

“In the name of appealing to humanity’s ‘kindness’, it objectifies the poor as people without agency and autonomy, dependent on more privileged people for their survival and diverts attention from more systemic reasons that explain their conditions.”

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/07/20/what-you-should-know-about-the-myth-of-the-lazy-poor/144423