SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE CONCEPTS OF POVERTY AND EXCLUSION AND THE NEED FOR A GUARANTEED MINIMUM INCOME IN A WORLD IN CRISIS

Abstract

This article discusses the current crisis of our idea of community and the power relations among different groups and makes the argument for the introduction of a guaranteed minimal income. Taking a historical perspective, the authors review key contributions to the literature regarding concepts of poverty and social exclusion and argue that the current crisis is a result of a structural process linked to the neo-liberal capitalist model that has led to a serious reduction of social rights, such as labour rights, generating conditions that lead to perpetual unemployment and underemployment of young people.

In this situation, the individual loses her/his most precious capacity: the ability to make a living through her or his own initiative and work. A guaranteed minimal income is presented in this context as a mechanism of income redistribution for the poorest, collective economic security, gender equality and the reduction of social stigma.

Full text available in Spanish only. To view, please select "Español" in the language box.