Persistence of Poverty and Early Attempts to Eradicate it

In pre-industrial societies, many areas of the world where population was in approximate balance with natural resources tended to avoid the problem of mass poverty. High death rates, owing to a near absence of health measures, kept the growth rate of population in check and in an approximate balance with the availability of easily exploitable natural resources such as land, water and mineral stocks. The ‘wisdom of the ages’ did cater for the provision of indigenous health practices and a slight increase in population and labour force, while small improvements in agricultural practices, handicrafts and services led to some increase in output. Thus, a balance could be maintained between population and resources in many societies. This population-resources balance continued for many centuries in several regions and mass poverty did not arise. Even so, the distribution of income in such societies never tended towards equality. A feudal organization of society and hierarchical social structures spelled inequality and economic and social differentiation among groups of people, and this phenomenon was a drag on further growth and development.