"The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set of priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich"

John Berger’s observation highlights a dramatic shift in how poverty should be understood in the context of modern society. Historically, poverty often resulted from actual scarcity, limited resources, unpredictable harvests, natural disasters, or geographic isolation constrained a community's ability to meet the basic needs of its populace. Hunger, deprivation, and social struggle occurred when there simply wasn’t enough to go around, either due to natural limitations or primitive tools for extraction and production.

However, Berger argues that the poverty defining the contemporary world no longer stems from such inherent shortages. Instead, it arises from systemic choices embedded in the economic and political structures established and maintained by those with wealth and power. Technological advances and global production capacities have advanced to the point that it is technically possible to meet the basic needs of everyone on the planet. Food, medicine, shelter, and education are available in sufficient quantities, yet millions still go without. This paradox exposes the artificial nature of today’s poverty, where abundance exists side by side with deprivation.

The root cause, Berger contends, lies in the arrangement of priorities, a global order orchestrated by affluent nations and powerful actors. Whether through international trade policies, debt structures, land use practices, or labor exploitation, the so-called “priorities of the rich” shape the way resources are distributed. These priorities favor profit, accumulation, and consumption for a few, often at the direct expense of the many. As such, poverty becomes politically sustained rather than a tragic accident of nature. Its endurance signals the deliberate choices to privilege some groups over others, keeping inequalities intact while creating dependency and marginalization.

Thus, the poverty of the modern age is not an unfortunate leftover from a less developed time, but a product of conscious human decisions. Recognizing this demands a reexamination of global ethics, responsibility, and the systems that benefit certain populations by consigning others to persistent need.