Puuduses

Puuduses is the Estonian term for the state of lacking essential resources. The term is commonly translated as lack, shortage, or poverty depending on context. The inessive form puuduses expresses being in a state of lack or need and is used in phrases describing deprivation.

In economics and sociology, puudus can refer to material deprivation such as insufficient income for basic needs, or to shortages of goods and services. Absolute poverty refers to not having enough to meet basic survival needs, such as food, shelter, and clean water; relative poverty compares living standards to the broader society. Shortages can also arise from supply constraints, price controls, or disruptions in production or distribution.

Measurement and indicators include poverty thresholds based on income or expenditure, and inequality measures such as the Gini coefficient. International comparisons often use standardized thresholds, such as those employed by the World Bank, while individual countries set their own national standards. Data typically come from national statistics offices and international organizations.

Policy relevance and responses focus on reducing puudus through social safety nets, unemployment benefits, housing support, access to healthcare and education, and programs that increase earnings and opportunities. Critics note that definitions and thresholds vary across contexts, which can complicate comparisons and obscure the lived experience of deprivation.

Historically and in contemporary discourse, puudus guides debates on welfare, development, and humanitarian aid. It remains a central concept for assessing progress toward ensuring basic needs are met and for evaluating the effectiveness of policy interventions.