Euclidean geometry to measure poverty: an example of a new method

Abstract

Does the world still need another index of poverty? The main goal of this paper is to define a newkindofpoverty indicator able to measure the multidimensionality of poverty, in individuals or societies, and to provide a comprehensive graphical representation. The traditional poverty line is not valid when dealing with several dimensions, so the new method computes a poverty hyperplane replacing the role that the poverty line had in classic studies. This hyperplanecanbeintrinsically determined from the agents or exogenouslyfixed.Thena variety of dimensions of poverty are included in one single indicator, whose major properties are shown in the paper to support its use to a wide range of scientific research fields. Finally, as an example, the indicator is applied to the measurement of poverty in African countries.