Poverty, Work, and Freedom
Political Economy and the Moral Order

This book examines the concept of poverty and develops a theory which describes poverty in opposition to freedom rather than wealth.

David P. Levine (Author), S. Abu Turab Rizvi (Author)

9780521184144, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 17 February 2011

172 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1 cm, 0.26 kg

"The view of poverty expressed in this book is interesting and thought provoking. The authors put forth a carefully constructed argument linking poverty to the lack of freedom and meaningful work." - Dell Champlin, Western Washington University

The poor seem easy to identify: those who do not have enough money or enough of the things money can buy. This book explores a different approach to poverty, one suggested by the notion of capabilities emphasized by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. In the spirit of the capabilities approach, the book argues that poverty refers not to a lack of things but to the lack of the ability to live life in a particular way. The authors argue that the poor are those who cannot live a life that is discovered and created rather than already known. Avoiding poverty, then, means having the capacity and opportunity for creative living. The authors argue that the capacity to do skilled work plays a particularly important role in creative living, and suggest that the development of the ability to do skilled work is a vital part of solving the problem of poverty.

Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
Part I: 2. The classical period
3. Poverty policy
4. Income, basic needs and capabilities
Part II: 5. Needs, work and identity
6. Creativity and freedom
7. Work and freedom
8. Work and satisfaction
9. Psychology of work
Part III: 10. Beyond the moral order
Conclusion
References.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP], Economic theory & philosophy [KCA], Politics & government [JP], Poverty & unemployment [JFFA], Philosophy [HP]