Poverty as lack of autonomy : bridging the absolute/relative divide?

Working paper

In this paper, we present a definition of poverty centred on the notion of autonomy, understood as self-rule, and articulated around the various rights and freedoms required for the existence and exercise of autonomy. This definition, we argue, can accommodate both the relative concept of deprivation proposed by Townsend and the absolute concept proposed by Sen, and thus help to provide a unified account of poverty that applies across low, middle and high income countries. This hypothesis is tested empirically using datasets from the Philippines, Chile and the UK, showing a remarkable constancy across countries in the levels of autonomy or empowerment experienced by poor individuals, independently of the total number of poor individuals, their relative position in society, their absolute income levels and their functionings achievements.

Authors: Silva-Leander, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Not peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI)
• Series: OPHI research in progress
• Publication date: 2012-01-01
• Edition: Publisher's version
• Paper number: 33a
• Language: English
• Keywords: ophi