Real World Issues- Poverty and Inequality
Income inequality has picked up traction in Singapore as being one of the biggest problems that people are facing. In fact, 73 percent of Singapore’s wealth controlled by the top 20 percent of those who earn (ASEAN Post Team, 2018). In Singapore, we are no strangers to the fact that prices of many things including food, water, electricity, homes and many other basic necessities have been on the rise. Given this situation, many people's livelihoods have been affected as their income level has not risen substantially even as the cost of living has gone up. For instance, the richest 10% saw the per household member income increase from S$8,571 in 2007 to S$13,215 in 2017. At the same time, the poorest 10%'s income increased only S$219 (Hoffmann, 2018). This has pushed many people into the bracket of poverty in Singapore as they are unable to sustain themselves and their family with their current income level. Reflecting about my ideas and preconception of poverty, I realise that...