Abstract

CLEMENTE PONCE, S.J., Fernando. POVERTY AS A POLITICAL CRITICISM TO DEMOCRACY. PHILOSOPHIC AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF DEPRIVATION OF BASIC CAPABILITIES. Univ. philos. [online]. 2011, vol.28, n.57, pp.37-60. ISSN 0120-5323.

Poverty and democracy keep complex relationships studied enough by social scientists. This article does not turn on these approaches and won't emphasize governance problems arising from poverty; it will present the philosophical and political criticism to the democratic ideal that results when considering poverty as a deprivation of individual liberty, as Amartya Sen does. Interpreting the poverty in this way, it is faced direct and problematically with a system of government that just makes freedoms and human freedom in general, its nerve center. This article argues that the presence of poverty casts doubts on living in very democratic societies, because it questions the purpose and essence of these, while challenging them to think how they can become just societies. The text begins with a philosophical interpretation of poverty from some Sen's ideas. Then the analysis focuses on the relationship could be established between lack of freedom and the political community, according to Aristotle, Baruch Spinoza and John Locke. The text ends with three challenges poverty makes to democracies.

Keywords : poverty; Amartya Sen; democracy; freedom; community.

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