GLOBALISATION AND THE PERPETUITY OF POVERTY IN THE CONTEMPORARY SECURITY ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Poverty, one of the most pressing and long-standing fundamental problems of the contemporary world, claims imbalances both at the base of Maslow’s pyramid – mortality, disease, hunger or malnutrition, absence of rest, sleep or quality life, lack or insecurity of shelter, employment, social exclusion, conditioning of love, sense of belonging, and at the top – failure to fulfil potential, low self-esteem, mistrust, lack of identity, lack of creativity, spontaneity, dignity. Although globalisation has actively contributed to the eradication of absolute poverty, it persists in terms of relative poverty. Poverty is a perennial, persistent problem, even within the European Union. The present article aims to examine through a comprehensive qualitative analysis the issue of security from the perspective of the phenomenon of poverty, integrating quality of life as a factor of human security and linking the culture of poverty, the concept of soft security with the impact of globalisation on the current security environment and on the state of human rights. The phenomenon of poverty is multifaceted, continuous and very complex, incorporating vulnerabilities, risks and social inequalities, ranging from lack of income to provide food, adequate housing for individual needs, decent or good living conditions, to limited access to basic services or needs to fulfil potential. Fulfilling one’s full potential is in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and includes one’s own aspirations, creative actions, focus on the inner self, quality education, expanding possibilities and horizons for action. There is no emphasis on the needs at the bottom of the pyramid, as these are an implicit necessity, and poverty can be defined not only in terms of living on the edge of subsistence, but also in terms of the precariousness of daily life, of a limited, inadequate life, at odds with universal principles, values and ideals.

Keywords

• soft security
• absolute poverty
• relative poverty
• vulnerability
• social exclusion
• globalisation
• perpetuity of poverty
• quality of life