A ridiculously low poverty line

It’s easy to feel reassured by the narrative that global poverty is shrinking, especially when we hear, e.g., that the number of people living on $2.15 a day dropped from nearly 2 billion in 1981 to 702 million in 2019. But let’s be real—surviving on $2.15 a day is a far cry from actually living. A healthy diet alone requires about $6.9 per day, and some argue that an escape from poverty happens closer to $10 or even $15 daily. At those levels, the picture is far more alarming, with billions still trapped in poverty, despite the so-called progress of global capitalism. It’s time to stop celebrating superficial victories and start addressing the real needs of people around the world.

Data source: World Bank (2024), Poverty and Inequality Platform (version 20230919_2017_01_02_PROD) [data set]. pip.worldbank.org. Accessed on 2024-02-23