Poverty as Severe Capability Deprivation
Amartya Sen and the
Evolution of the Concept of Poverty
Leland Joseph R. de la Cruz
Director, Development Studies Program
Limitations of the Basic Needs Approach
• Basic needs are just means to various ends.– Different means have to be in place for various
ends to be realized. – There is room for creativity in identifying the
appropriate means for various ends.
• Focus on basic needs distracts from non-market ends.
Poverty and Income
Basic Needs are just means to various ends
• Ability to be Healthy
• Ability to be Educated
• Ability to Engage in Productive Activity
Basic Needs as Means to Ends
Can I be healthy?Can I avail of health services?
Can I be educated?Can I go to school?
Many means are needed for a single end
1. Ability to be healthy - Ability to acquire food
- Access to health services- Access to education
- Ability to live in adequate space- Ability to live in a clean environment
2. Access to education- Access to educational services- Dependent on ability to be healthy
3. Ability to engage in productive employment
- Dependent on ability to be healthy
- Access to employment
- Access to credit
Many means are available for a single end
Ability to be educated
• Schooling
• “Non-formal” formal education
• Media
• Internet
Non-market ends
Cultural identity Social Belonging
Organizational capacity Respect and dignity
Political participation and accountability of governance structures
Emotional Integrity: freedom from fear and anxiety
Aside from fulfillment of material needs, what other desires do the poor themselves express?
Entitlements and Capabilities
Entitlements: Commodities over which a person can exercise ownership or command. WHAT DO I HAVE? WHAT CAN I ACQUIRE?
Capability: Alternative combinations of states of being a person can achieve. WHAT CAN I BE? WHAT CAN I DO?
Poverty and Capabilities
Poverty constitutes a severe failure of capabilities.
Female Life Expectancy2000, PSY
50 60 70 80 90
China
Hong Kong
Korea
Singapore
Taiwan
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Male Life Expectancy2000, PSY
50 55 60 65 70 75 80
China
Hong Kong
Korea
Singapore
Taiwan
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Life Expectancy2004, PSY
55
57
59
61
63
65
67
69
71
Infant Mortality Rateper 1,000 deliveries; 2000, PSY
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
China
Hong Kong
Korea
Singapore
Taiwan
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Infant Mortality Rate per 1,000 deliveries; 2000, PSY
05
1015
2025
3035
4045
Philipp
ines
NCRCAR I II III IV
AIV
B V VIVII
VIII IX X XIXII
CARAGA
ARMM
Infant Mortality Rate per 1,000 deliveries; 2000, PSY
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Quintile
LowestSecondThirdFourthFifth
Infant Mortality Rate per 1,000 deliveries; 2000, PSY
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Location
UrbanRural
Maternal Mortality Rateper 100,000 live births; 1996-2000, PSY
0 100 200 300 400 500
China
Hong Kong
Korea
Singapore
Taiwan
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Maternal Mortality Rateper 100,000 live births; 1995, PSY
100
150
200
250
300
350
Philipp
ines
NCRCAR I II III IV V VI
VIIVIII IX X XI
XII
ARMM
Human Development Index
• Income per capita
• Health– Life Expectancy
• Education– Mean Years of Schooling– Literacy Rate
Human Development Index UNDP 2004
Country Rank HDI Country Rank HDI
Norway 1 0.956 Philippines 83 0.753
U.S.A. 8 0.939 China 94 0.745
Singapore 25 0.902 Indonesia 111 0.692
Malaysia 59 0.793 Viet Nam 112 0.691
Thailand 76 0.768 Sierra Leone
177 0.273
0.6
0.62
0.64
0.66
0.68
0.7
0.72
0.74
0.76
0.78
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2002
Human Development Index UNDP 2004
Human Poverty Index UNDP 2004
• Probability at birth of not surviving to age 40.
• Adult illiteracy rate.
• Population without access to an improved water source.
• Children underweight for age.
Country Rank HPI Country Rank HPI
Barbados 1 2.5 Philippines 28 15.0
Singapore 6 6.3 Indonesia 35 17.8
Thailand 22 13.1 Viet Nam 41 20.0
China 24 13.2 Burikina Faso
95 65.5
Human Poverty Index UNDP 2004
Data Sources
• Philippine Statistical Yearbook
• United Nations Development Program, Human Development Report, 2004
Poverty as Severe Capability Deprivation
Amartya Sen and the
Evolution of the Concept of Poverty
Leland Joseph R. de la Cruz
Director, Development Studies Program
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