| Poverty is an increasingly important subject in moral and political philosophy. The concept of poverty is conceived and measured in a variety of competing ways. This dissertation seeks to explore two related questions about poverty: how should we think about poverty, and how should it be measured? I will argue that there is no single definitively correct conception or metric of poverty. In order to determine how poverty should be conceived of and measured, we must engage in a methodological discussion to determine which values should be used to resolve existing debates over the measurement of poverty.In the first section I develop a methodological framework for analyzing poverty. I argue that poverty is an essentially contested concept and there are multiple plausible conceptions of poverty. Similarly, there are multiple plausible poverty metrics that can be and have been developed. I argue that poverty measurement has hitherto been treated as value-neutral, despite the inherently value-laden nature of developing poverty conceptions and metrics. Given the value-laden nature of the enterprise, I argue for an ameliorative approach to poverty analysis that is explicitly normative. I then argue that a global poverty metric should be maintained, and defend this claim against common objections.In the second section I examine five competing conceptions of poverty and their corresponding metrics. Using an ameliorative approach, I examine the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and highlight the values that underlie each approach. I also examine the presence of descriptivism in each approach to poverty measurement, and explain how an ameliorative approach might reform the use of these conceptions and metrics.In the third section, I argue that a new global poverty metric should be developed using an ameliorative, pro-poor approach. I examine one pro-poor method, participation, and show how it can serve the interests of the poor if certain limitations are recognized. I defend a pro-poor poverty metric against possible objections. Finally, I propose a set of values to inform the development of a pro-poor global poverty metric, and make some tentative recommendations for indicators that could be included in such a metric. |
