A comparative analysis of poverty and social exclusion in Malta and Spain

Abstract

Chapter 5 constitutes of a comparative analysis of poverty and social exclusion in Malta and Spain. Abela draws upon the data collected in the context of two surveys conducted by CIRES (Spain) and the Institute of Social Welfare of the University of Malta. The emphasis is on both the economic and non-economic aspects of deprivation and the extent to which these create social exclusion. The author's concern with the subjective dimension of deprivation and exclusion, especially as regards the respondents' attitudes towards the poor, adds an important aspect to the analysis of social exclusion as a socially constructed, interactive process. On the basis of rich empirical material the author provides various indicators of poverty linked to home ownership, housing amenities, spending patterns, employment opportunities, social affliction and reliance on social benefits. Economic deprivation is found to be higher in Spain than in Malta. The analysis of non-economic aspects of well-being focuses on the degree of interaction with family, kin and friends, a sense of belonging, satisfaction in life, and social solidarity. These factors are found to be of crucial importance in processes of social exclusion/integration especially in the Maltese society. When exclusion from informal networks is linked to economic deprivation, it produces extreme hardship.