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There is a scriptural quote that says: The poor will be with you always. That said, it would seem that poverty is a perceptual concept. There will always be someone who has less than someone else. They will perceive themselves as being in poverty. But this does not answer the question of our Title heading does it?

Poverty exists due to so many factors one doesn't know where to begin.

Take my own example. I was born in a coal camp in southern West Virginia in 1956. We had no running water. We heated our home by burning coal. My father was partially disabled from injuries received from working in the coal mines. We had no car so commuting to work was out of the question. We were on the dole. And I could go on. Things did improve over time. We managed to get moved to a more centrally located town and my dad found work he could do. My mom found a daily ride to work. Before too long we had a car and things improved rapidly after that. But to no level of wealth as say..middle class.

And still, we haven't answered the title heading. Why does poverty exist? in the case of my family it was a number of factors. My father's dad..was born in 1876. He was also a coal miner. my dad was a child from a second marriage. And so far as I am able to learn..none of the family members were ever college educated. More importantly, we were never pushed or guided to want to go to college and thereby and hopefully, better our lives. This happened because of a lack of education to begin with. One cannot appreciate to the full extent what one has never experienced. So..MY answer to the question of why does poverty exist..will be...A lack of guidance and understanding of what is required to escape from poverty. An education, opportunity and the willingness to work and the discipline to keep working to get those keys to escape.

Poverty will always be with us. As will the sick. As will be any unfortunate circumstance. It IS the human condition.

Learn more about this author, A. Dean.
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