: No, Poverty Has Not Disappeared

Poverty is present in every society known today. In every street corner, every country has its own way of showing poverty. At a total view they are everywhere. As they commonly say, “Everything has a purpose why they exist”. Applying it to poverty, does it really exist with a purpose?

Poverty ensures that the dirty works shall be done. It is another source of gauging the social structure. Yes, it is maligned and ridiculed, but can’t we see anything important out of them? What if there had been no poverty at all? I remember a story about people or a foundation would give away money for people seeking business that would amount to thousands of pesos. People rushed to their office and seek for application. They even encouraged other people to join the organization so that everyone would be instantly richer. What would have possibly happened if it came true? Who would have taken away our garbage and clean the sidewalks if all were already rich? Who would have possibly gone out of the country if all of us have enough money to sustain our lives? Who shall serve as domestic helpers, garbage collector, kaminero, etc.? Nobody I Think.

Poverty plays a latent function in society. Society as we know it today would not exist without poverty. Second hand goods, such as in ukay-ukay would have been down if poverty isn’t present. Cheap goods with less quality shall not be bought. SM and other large companies would have declined if their low paying employees would have been richer. In this case no one would ever buy the goods that they sell. Companies promising low prices and sale would have been scarce or even wiped out. Pasaload, Unlimited Text, and other offers of telecommunications companies would have been out of the market if people intend to buy in a basis they want.

Game shows would have been less rated and therefore unnecessary if people wouldn’t have to wait for their names to be called as they wait for them to win. Successful and famous people would have been anonymous if all people were rich. These elite as we know them today would have been no one today if the world would have run that way.

People would have been apathetic about politics and wouldn’t have to be forced to vote for people who are not good in the position in the government. Voters won’t need to accept money from politicians during elections.

I am not saying that poverty should exist. It is the way the world is. And I think it is hard to conquer unless an ideal type has been followed. Of course, it is hard to happen for everything runs from order to disorder.