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Discusses the idea of microcredit lending, which are small loans given to poor people to set up or expand business. Details of African communities, which use microcredit organizations; Local problems of microfinance, including diseases in Africa; How organizations have encouraged poor borrowers to form groups to cross-guarantee each other's loans; Success of microcredit.

The article comments on policies of U.S. President George W. Bush toward the poor in the U.S. Bush has laid out proposals for reforming Social Security, a public-pension system. The proposals, as stated, make a contrast to Vice-President Albert Gore's refusal to touch the pension programme at all. On education, Bush has offered voters more choice and competition in schools. By offering more choice, as also stated, he is focusing on the poor.

Reports on figures related to poverty in Argentina. Growth of poverty in ten years; Poverty levels relative to those in Chile; Widening gap between rich and poor; Class structure; Inability to obtain health care; Need for the modernization of Argentine society. INSET: The wrong side of the tracks.

Discusses the poor in Nigeria. Proportion of poor Nigerians who moved from rural areas to urban areas between 1963 and 1991; Oil revenues and their role in the migration of the poor; Social and economic conditions in rural Nigeria; The agriculture industry in Nigeria; Poor economic policy in Nigeria and its impact, including the overvaluation of the Nigerian naira and the creation of uncompetitive agricultural prices.

The article discusses xenophobia in South Africa, focusing on the murder of and violence against poor immigrants. Topics include the deployment of soldiers various centers of violence around Johannesburg, South Africa; the failure to prosecute or convict perpetrators of violence against foreigners or their businesses; anger among South African poor about unemployment and lack of opportunities.

The article argues that the United Nations' proposed list of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which set out how to improve the lives of the poor people in emerging countries, needs to be shortened and redesigned to focus on reducing poverty, improving health, and boosting education. According to the article, the SDGs are the successors to the development targets that various governments agreed to in 2000. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and good intentions are examined.

The article discusses survey data from the United National Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in 2015 which indicates that the poverty rate in the region has remained around 28 percent of the population over the past three years, and it mentions that social progress has stopped in the area. Stalled economic growth in Latin America is mentioned, along with the World Bank and initiatives for poor people such as Brazil's Bolsa Família and Chile Solidario.

The article focuses on the impact of gentrification on the poor in Washington, D.C. in 2015. Topics include the number of black residents that have left urban centers between 1990 and 2010, the use of rent control regulations in metropolitan areas, and if minorities are disproportionately displaced by gentrification.

The article focuses on research concerning the role geography plays in unemployment. It states that the use of cross-sectional research made it difficult to separate cause and effect and talks about small samples in research. It mentions a paper using longitudinal data published by the National Bureau of Economic Research that examined job searches of 250,000 poor Americans who had lost their jobs during mass lay-offs living in nine Midwestern cities over six years and their employment options.

The article discusses the potential impact of "commitment-savings accounts" (CSAs) on the economic conditions of poor people in developing nations such as Uganda and Malawi, focusing on a lack of demand for CSAs in Kenya, and information about punitive fees and investments in livestock.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article on the economic conditions within Tilbury, England, published in the August 16, 2014 issue.

Discusses the attitude towards reforms related to the benefits of sick and poor in Great Britain. Rise in the spending on benefits for the sick and disabled in the past 20 years; Stance of Great Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair on welfare; Expectation that the Labor Party would vote against government proposals to reform disability benefits; Rise in the number of people claiming some sort of disability benefits; View that the government's principles are misplaced; Sensitivity of reform politicians; Advantages and handicap of the Labor government; Change in strategy.

Presents information on the reforms proposed by Great Britain's social-security secretary, Alistair Darling to help poor pensioners. State of the pension industry in Great Britain; How the savings policies are seen as incoherent; Darling's reforms set to fix the problems with the system; Complexity of pensions; Rise in means-tested help; The state pensions available to all; Graph of the ratio of workers to retired people.

Discusses the squatters that have taken up residence near the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand in March 1997. Issues and grievances of the squatters; Government assurance and handling of the problems; Division between the rich and the poor in Thailand; Effects of the imposition of tariffs on the exports by European Union on the social set up in Thailand.

Opinion. Discusses the economic divisions among Americans. The mistaken idea that the problems are generational; American generosity toward the elderly; Priorities of the young and old generations; The supposition that social-welfare problems are helping the poor in the United States; The fact that most government support goes to middle and upper class Americans.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Bananas," in the November 2, 1996 issue, "Goh Slow," in the November 9, 1996 issue and "Will the world starve?," wherein several rural areas lack physical access to markets in the November 16, 1996 issue.

Focuses on the debate over the use of workfare for New York City's welfare recipients. Apprehensions of trade unions over the new federal workfare laws; Replacement of traditional welfare benefits by the new workfare program; Restrictions imposed on the new program called Transition Assistance for Needy Families; Cut in public sector jobs by Rudolph Giuliani, New York's mayor.

Declares that U.S. President Bill Clinton has said he would sign away the federal guarantee of welfare to poor families that has existed since 1935. Reasons behind the welfare program; Information that poor Americans to get help only for limited periods; Impact of reforms on single mothers and children in the country who depend on the existing system; President's declaration that the existing system encourages a cycle of dependency; Argument on the political risk associated in the president's decision; Polls suggesting that most Americans dislike the welfare system.

Presents information related to a row over plans to privatize armed-forces housing on John Redwood, a rival Eurosceptic leader. Focus on service families fearing that the new owners will sell off the best homes and thus destroy "patches", the close-knit neighborhoods that breed esprit de corps; Reports that the rents will still be set by a government body and paid to the ministry; Details of poor morale in the forces that has bred cynicism, the point of the privatization is widely thought to be to pay for pre-election tax-cuts.

The article reports that a households survey in Great Britain showed a dramatic fall in the share of total incomes going to the worst-off 10% of households: from 4.0% to 2.1%. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of households on more than £600 a week (at 1993 prices) rose nine-folds from 230.000 to 2.1m. The survey found that average incomes rose by 35% in real terms. But the poor missed out entirely. The incomes of the bottom 10% actually fell, by 14% after they had paid their housing costs. In other words, the poor have got poorer. But, Peter Lilley, the Thatcherite social-security secretary, denies it. According to Lilley, though the poorest 10%'s share of total incomes has fallen, this does not mean that the same people have got poorer.

The article focuses on the three-year research project, run by William Julius Wilson, a black academic, and presented at a conference at the University of Chicago last week. Wilson is now co-operating with Mayor Richard Daley's team to work on anti-poverty programmes. His ideas for better local politics include--inner-city blacks often have trouble getting jobs by word of mouth, because many of their friends who do work, and might be able to recommend them for vacancies, move out of the ghetto and lose touch. A job advertising service that publicized vacancies across the city through local inner-city offices would help spread the news. Wilson's project focused on blacks because they dominate Chicago's poor.

Looks at how the governments of Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary are trying to devise acceptable social programs to meet the needs of their poorest citizens as capitalism takes hold. Poland's unemployment program; Cuts in Poland's welfare programs; Comments by Polish labor minister, Michal Boni, about unregistered workers; Retraining for the unemployed in Hungary; Loans from the Hungarian for the jobless to set up small businesses; Remaining welfare programs, including free medical care and state pensions.

Examines key economic principles and policies that widen the gap between the rich and the poor in terms of wealth distribution and economic status in the U.S. Emphasis on the role of the government on spending and financial allocations; Focus on the economic policy and practice in the U.S.; Policies relating to social security, taxation, income and budget allocation; Proposals to improve living conditions for the rich, middle and the poor through faster economic growth.

Reports on the arguments in favor of reviving the military conscription in the U.S. Compulsory national service schemes; Complaint that U.S. military is made up disproportionately of the poor and the black; Increase in education standards demanded of recruits; Proportion of blacks in combat roles than in non-combat roles.

The article focuses on how an increase in taxes and fiscal reform in Mexico will impact the poor in 2014. Topics include the rate of poverty in Mexico in 2014, the increase in food prices alongside wage stagnation, and the federal minimum wage in Mexico. Information is provided on the application of value-added tax (VAT) on public transportation.

The article focuses on hobo culture in the U.S. Topics include the National Hobo Museum in Britt, Iowa, the increase in hobos in the U.S. after the Great Depression, and the 'hobo convention' held annually in the U.S. Information is provided on hobo traditions, which include respecting nature, finding work whenever possible, and staying clean.

The article looks at longevity and the pension age. It is noted that the rich tend to live longer than the poor, making a universal age of retirement inherently unfair, as the poor receive fewer years to enjoy retirement. The reasons behind the gap between the life expectancies of the rich and poor are explored, such as different levels of access to health care and lifestyle choices around tobacco use and eating habits.

The article anticipates demographic shifts in Africa, reporting that the population of Lagos, Nigeria will exceed that of Cairo, Egypt in 2013. Topics include the construction industry in Africa, job creation, the poor, improvements in public transportation, and the impact that first-time voters could have on African elections in 2013.

The editorial notes the success of Safaricom company's M-PESA mobile money service in Kenya and comments on the usefulness of mobile money services in developing countries where these services can help the poor save small amounts of money. The author suggests that governments should use and promote mobile money services which allows money transfers through mobile phones.

The article focuses on differences in fertility rates between poor and rich people in developing countries. It states that a study by Harvard University found that from 1992 to 2012, the fertility rates of poor people dropped more slowly than wealthy and mentions a study in 2008 of African nations found differences in fertility by education group rises. It mentions that as per person gross domestic product in developing countries increased, rich lead the decline in fertility.

The article focuses on the jogo do bicho numbers game in Brazil. It states the game started in 1888 as a method of increasing business for a zoo in Rio de Janeiro owned by João Batista, Baron of Drummond. It mentions jogo do bicho outlasted the closure of the zoo, prohibition, competition from competing state lotteries and hostility by churchmen. It comments on similarities between jogo do bicho and U.S. numbers rackets including buying off corrupt police and being played by the poor.

The article looks at the connection between natural disasters and poverty in Pakistan. Natural disasters including a 2005 earthquake, a 2010 flood, and a 2011 monsoon are mentioned. The low government tax rate's impact on raising charity donations is considered. The author posits that these disasters have a relatively small effect on Pakistan's economic growth because they typically affect the poorest people in the country, whose contribution to the gross domestic product is negligible.

The article focuses on India's creation of a biometric identity database for its poor that could held reduce corruption and poverty. It states that India's unique identity scheme will enroll 200 million members in January 2012 and could expand to 400 million members by the end of 2012. It mentions that a secure online identity would allow poor Indians to have bank accounts allowing them to directly receive government benefits and reduce graft and bribery by middlemen bureaucrats.

The article looks at microfinance in poor countries, with a focus on increasing savings for poor people. Topics discussed include the lack of traditional microlenders willing to lend to the poorest people in the world, the charity CARE International which helps set up village savings and loans institutions run by community members, and the setup of these groups, which involves people pooling money, lending to themselves at interest, and creating a collective social fund for emergencies.

The article reports on the announcement that the Indian telecommunications company Bharti Airtel will raise prices due to falling profits. It is noted how many Indian businesses' are no longer able to offer many low-cost goods and services because it is not cost-effective and how that affects the poorest populations within India.

The article discusses financial services for the poor in the U.S. Topics include the trend of poor people to use non-bank services, services offered to the Latino and immigrant community, and efforts to provide more services such as savings accounts and bank account promotion. Loans from banks such as Grameen Bank, a microfinance institution, and financial housing services such as Boston Community Capital (BCC) are also discussed.

The article considers companies in the U.S. and other developed countries which offer products and services for poorer consumers. It is noted that the real income of U.S. consumers has declined since 2005, and that 44 million persons have an income below the government definition of poverty, making this group a significant market. The fast food restaurant chain company McDonald's, whose sales have increased annually since 2006, is cited as an example.

A letter is presented from a reader responding to "Bagehot" column of the December 11, 2010 issue.

The article discusses changes that have occurred in the countries where the poorest people in the world live.

The article examines research in social psychology. A series of experiments conducted at the University of California, Berkeley suggest poor people are more generous and less selfish in their behavior than rich people. One of the researchers suggests that compassion among poor people might be a trait developed to increase cooperation needed for survival.

The article discusses why shoppers buy extended warranties on electronic goods. Research by professors Tao Chen, Ajay Kalra and Baohong Sun indicates people are more likely to buy warranties for products associated with fun, such as television sets. Warranties are also more apt to be purchased by poorer consumers.

The article focuses on the effects of mobile money and cellular telephones on poor people in developing countries. The article reports that mobile phones have a direct impact on economic growth in poor countries and that mobile-money services such as M-PESA can be used on mobile phones. The article suggests that mobile money is a safer and faster way to transfer money in Africa and Asia.

The article discusses financial sophistication on the part of poor people as discussed in the book "Portfolios of the Poor" by Daryl Collins, Jonathan Morduch, and Orlanda Ruthven. The poor in South Africa, Bangladesh, and other nations use unorthodox strategies that enable them to achieve such goals as smoothing out their consumptions patterns and promoting disciplined saving.

This article reports on politics in Cambodia and the state of capital city Phnom Penh. The article discusses plans to develop the Boeung Kak lake park area, noting that 4,500 poor residents will be evicted to fill in 90 percent of the lake. Information is also provided on controversies related to the plan in terms of the governing Cambodian People's Party (CPP), its connection to the 7NG development firm, and land laws.

The article discusses a report on the relation between poverty and the rule of law. The article describes how a United Nations (UN) report claims that legal empowerment can help fight poverty. Details are provided regarding the role property rights, legal accessibility, labour rights, and business rights in the elimination of poverty.

The article discusses three kinds of economic equality in Great Britain: that between rich and poor, between private and public sector workers, and between the rich and the middle class. These inequalities are seen to threaten the Labour government of Gordon Brown and his chancellor of the exchequer, Alistair Darling.

This article discusses usury and the business of offering loans to poor people. Microcreditors, those who offer small loans to self-employed poor people, are criticized by many. Some critics say that to lending to the poor enables loan sharks to be able to charge well over the odds, forcing the poor people into a spiral of debt.

The article discusses an announcement by the World Bank that 986 million people lived on the equivalent of less than one dollar per day in 2004. The number living at this poverty level is below one billion for the first time. Researchers have determined that the poor do have consumer choices, and could spend more on food if they did not devote so much income to alcohol, tobacco, and entertainments.

The article reports that although raising the minimum wage in the U. S. makes political sense, it will likely do little to help the poor. Economists and politicians cite conflicting studies saying that minimum wage increases impact employment numbers, high-school dropout rates and wages later in life. Teenagers are the main beneficiaries of a higher minimum wage.