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Amartya Sen Quote of the Day: Poverty Is Not Just Lack of Money, But Lost Human Potential
Amartya Sen’s widely quoted line — “Poverty is not just a lack of money; it is not having the capability to realise one’s full potential as a human being” — captures his lifelong effort to redefine how the world understands deprivation. Sen argues that true development must be measured not by income alone but by the real freedoms and opportunities people possess.
Born in Santiniketan in 1933 and shaped by experiences such as the Bengal famine, Sen went on to become one of the world’s most influential economists and philosophers. His work across Oxford, Harvard, LSE and Cambridge revolutionised global approaches to welfare economics, earning him the Nobel Prize in 1998. His landmark book Development as Freedom positioned human capability, dignity and agency at the centre of development.
Sen’s “capability approach” argues that poverty is a denial of essential freedoms — education, healthcare, safety, expression and participation in society — not merely an income shortage. His philosophy continues to guide global policy debates on inequality, democracy and human rights.
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Published: Dec 12, 2025
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