Leisure and the definition of poverty

How a society defines and subsequently measures poverty has a considerable impact on the way in which the poor are viewed by people in general and how the problem of poverty is approached by the state. This paper examines the conceptual role played by leisure in the definition of poverty in modern society. Earlier attempts to define and measure poverty did not consider leisure at all. Later inquiries tended to conceive of poverty as a relative phenomenon which could be understood only in the context of particular societies. More recent efforts have often included leisure as an essential category in the description and definition of the term. This paper traces the evolution of the concept of poverty and reveals the increasing conceptual importance of leisure in its definition. In conclusion, a style of living approach to the definition of poverty is discussed.