Abstract
The measurement of poverty remains a contested field in European social research. This article provides a critical assessment of the major poverty measurement approaches used in the European Union, including the at-risk-of-poverty rate, material deprivation indices, and multidimensional poverty measures. We analyse the strengths and limitations of each approach in capturing the lived experience of economic disadvantage across diverse national contexts.
Key Findings
The comparative analysis demonstrates significant variation in poverty rates depending on the measurement approach employed. Income-based measures tend to underestimate poverty in Southern and Eastern European countries where informal economies and intergenerational transfers play significant roles. Multidimensional approaches capture important aspects of deprivation but face challenges of comparability across welfare regimes.
Methodology
Drawing on EU-SILC data from 2006-2011, we apply multiple poverty measurement approaches to 15 EU member states, supplementing quantitative analysis with qualitative case studies from Romania, Spain, and Germany to illustrate how measurement choices affect policy conclusions.
Implications
The findings underscore the need for a more nuanced approach to poverty measurement in European social policy, one that combines income-based indicators with multidimensional measures and accounts for national specificities in welfare provision and social organisation.
