The threshold below which a degradation to lower poverty level results to dissatisfaction (analogous to radiation, hν – where h is Planck’s constant and ν is frequency in Hz) can be called Poverty Free State (PFS) as indicated in Fig.1. This could be the absolute poverty threshold where – at least there will not be statistically significant generational poverty. Below PFS, we start growing pockets of very dissatisfied people with cynicism which may initiate into riots that can easily grow into a full fledge social unrest such as civil war – if not addressed properly in timely manner. This analogy can serve as a casual explanation of civil war such as Nepalese civil war that started back in 1996.
Change of kinetic energy of an individual help him move left to right but may not move up on the poverty ladder which will require change in potential energy, corroborates also with Sen: “capabilities” should be seen as absolute. Extreme poverty, borrowing words again from Sen, can be seen as the ability to survive rather than succumb to premature mortality, may start at E. Primary and secondary poverty as cited in the opening paragraph, by Rowntree, could be KE and PE or vice versa.
Citing East-Asian case, Ha-Joon Chang thought that poverty can only be solved by development of productive capabilities of society and individual together; this upholds the analogy. Dependency theory suggests international system prevents some countries from development. External aid, unless designed very well, does provide KE that only can alter absolute poverty at a given level. Such an aid may not help move an individual up the poverty ladder but only degenerate capabilities of both the society and the individual. However, aids (like Red Cross) always have a role on a special kind of poverty such as humanitarian crisis as well as during extreme natural events like earthquakes, famine etc.
