Poverty in Armenia.

[Genuine_Stud]

Ok. I went to Armenia about 5 years ago and I traveled there with a bunch of friends. I don't know how the country is now, but back then.... there was a bunch of people begging for money at almost every other corner we turned. One of my friends seemed as if he had a dollar sign written across his forehead, because they always ended up coming to him and asking for money.

Sometimes the same people would walk up after about 4 days and ask you again as if $30 wouldn't last that long in Armenia. I mean, it's a very good thing to help the needy when you can, but after about a week it got really annoying to the point where the trip started to become less enjoyable, because SO MANY people come and ask.

I wish there was a way so that less and less of our people in Armenia didn't have to beg for money anymore, not because of the fact of them asking us and annoying us, but for the betterment of our people and our country.

My question is, what's your take on this type of situation?
What's your take on poverty in general and how you think we can improve it in Armenia?

[Ducati]

I went there 3 years ago when I was 13, don't remember much, but the good times and a few beggers here and there. Like I said I was 13 and alone and i dont remeber much. I stayed in a small apartment. Not to shabby. But it sure could use some improvment. When I went I had to conserve water, because they had a gay system of you only get a certain amout of water a day. But not bad for a months vacation for a 13 year old to walk around yerevan alone. I'm sure if I went today my perspective would be different than back then. I plan to take my girlfriend there sometimes this summer.

[patlajan]

The country itself is not making money so there's less money to go around. Since it is a small country they can specialize the economy in something profitable. If they take all their foreign aid money and have GE build a state of the art powerplant for them, they can sell energy to the region. Maybe that will persuade the builders of that oil pipeline to build in Armenia.

That being said, nothing will work in a state mired with corruption.

[Anonymouse]

The situation is pretty much, sadly prevalent in alot of the former Soviet Republics. After 70 years of State welfarism, what does one expect? Socialism breeds poverty, slacking, corruption. When you are constantly taught how "business is wrong and unethical" and "making money is wrong", but somehow becoming a "selfless public servant" is a worthy thing, what do you expect? It's going to take a long time for this to change.

As Mises said, "As far as there is unhampered capitalism, there is no longer any question of poverty in the sense in which this term is applied to the conditions of a noncapitalistic society. The increase in population figures does not create supernumerary mouths, but additional hands whose employment produces additional wealth.

Within the frame of capitalism the notion of poverty refers only to those people who are unable to take care of themselves. Even if we disregard the case of children, we must realize that there will always be such unemployables."

[angelik22]

yes, as the rich gets righer and fils their pockets, the poor gets even "poorer"... it's jsut a mess in Armenia, people do't even get enough money (when they work) to support a family on a regular basis--depending on what they do... the government is just messed up- well its not really a government, its like Armenia is headed by a stupid MOB of some sort... haha and Bush is trying to bring democracy to where? oy yeah Iraq, but where is he when other countries need help also? i guess Armenia doesnt have enough oil for him.... besides not like American democracy is any better... just look at all the problems we have here...the root of it being a nimwit president

[Anonymouse]

By the way, this thread belongs in Armenian News or Politics forum.

[Genuine_Stud]

By the way, this thread belongs in Armenian News or Politics forum.

Not really homie.

Because poverty isn't new news or news in itself. It's a situation.

Additionally, there is no mention of politics or political affiliations.

My original question was what's your take on poverty in Armenia and we can improve it?

EDIT: Never mind... I guess it's too late. :(

[Tres Bien]

to educate people, in every aspect , at every social institution there is, get through so that people will get more educated, more efficiant, educate the lazy gjughatsis, create more jobs...
stop to sell out public property and national heritage, so that the profit doesnt go to the pockets of indivuduals but will be beneficial for the hole nation.

[Crimson Glow]

Bush is trying to bring democracy to where? oy yeah Iraq, but where is he when other countries need help also? i guess Armenia doesnt have enough oil for him

There's a tad bit more involved than Armenia not having oil to gain America's attention and help. There's that whole Turkey being one of the only Muslim allies of America, and they wouldn't take too kindly to the US helping Armenia, now would they?

[Anonymouse]

Not really homie.

Because poverty isn't new news or news in itself. It's a situation.

Additionally, there is no mention of politics or political affiliations.

My original question was what's your take on poverty in Armenia and we can improve it?

EDIT: Never mind... I guess it's too late. :(

We have separate forums for everything directly Armenian related. Therefore it goes in here. I think the there should be more of a general Armenian Anything forum instead of news, since news can go under Politics, or Armenian Issues.

[HyeJinx1984]

My feeling is that what Armenia really needs is a strong industry that everyone from the upper class corporate people as well as the regular citizens can profit from. However... what industry can that be?

[MadHandle]

Armenia is currupt...bottom line. People with authority make all the money and the "unimportant' people are left begging for money. Plus, everything there is expensive...if your not a tourist(everything is lot cheaper for tourists with US incomes), and also people living there don't make enough money, thats gettin' looked over. When I was living there(6 years ago) doctors got payed 50-100$ US dollars a month and half the time they didn't even pay it on time. Now if 50-100$ is not enough for a doctor, what you think people with lower class jobs get?

Like I said everything there is currupt...thats right everything. You wanna go to the best college, then pay the guy in charge enough money...and your basically in or it helps to get you in. If you don't wanna go to the army when your 18, again, pay the people in charge money and they will give you a safe and comfortable position for your 2 years of military service. A cop pulls you over, half the time for no reason...other then that their wallets are empty(can't blame them though), you again pay them about 5000 drams and your good to go.

If you think poverty was high 5 years ago, then you should of been there when Armenia was at war with Azerbenjan. I mean people were sluggin' trees from parks to heat their houses, people makin money off illegal electrical connections, etc...that was the real poverty...I don't know about now though, I'm guessing its better then before.

When I was walkin' throught metro stations or whatever and see people begging for money...right, people just told me not to feel sorry for them cuz I would end up the same way, so you did what you did and ignore them. No one got annoyed....but if I go back soon then I'ma whip out whatever change I got in my wallet and give them somethin...and some just use the money to buy vodka, get drunk and sleep in the middle of the street...literally, ignore them.

[Anonymouse]

Armenia is currupt...bottom line. People with authority make all the money and the "unimportant' people are left begging for money. Plus, everything there is expensive...if your not a tourist(everything is lot cheaper for tourists with US incomes), and also people living there don't make enough money, thats gettin' looked over. When I was living there(6 years ago) doctors got payed 50-100$ US dollars a month and half the time they didn't even pay it on time. Now if 50-100$ is not enough for a doctor, what you think people with lower class jobs get?

Like I said everything there is currupt...thats right everything. You wanna go to the best college, then pay the guy in charge enough money...and your basically in or it helps to get you in. If you don't wanna go to the army when your 18, again, pay the people in charge money and they will give you a safe and comfortable position for your 2 years of military service. A cop pulls you over, half the time for no reason...other then that their wallets are empty(can't blame them though), you again pay them about 5000 drams and your good to go.

If you think poverty was high 5 years ago, then you should of been there when Armenia was at war with Azerbenjan. I mean people were sluggin' trees from parks to heat their houses, people makin money off illegal electrical connections, etc...that was the real poverty...I don't know about now though, I'm guessing its better then before.

When I was walkin' throught metro stations or whatever and see people begging for money...right, people just told me not to feel sorry for them cuz I would end up the same way, so you did what you did and ignore them. No one got annoyed....but if I go back soon then I'ma whip out whatever change I got in my wallet and give them somethin...and some just use the money to buy vodka, get drunk and sleep in the middle of the street...literally, ignore them.

War always has a tendency to destroy and create havoc and struggle. It is not a pretty thing, and who benefited in the end? Statists.

[jgm1975]

Armenians (and Russians for that matter) never had a democratic tradition. Sure there was a brief period of independence from 1918 to 1920 but that is nothing. Armenians have either lived under Imperial rule (Ottoman, Byzantine, Soviet) or under a monarchy. 1991 was really the beginning of Armenian democracy. By contrast, it took decades for Britain to move away from absolute monarchy, while France's first experience with democracy in 1789 resulted in the dictatorship of Napoleon and the restoration of monarchy. True democracy in France never came until 1871. And the US has been a democracy since the 18th century. All this to say that it will probably take a few decades before a real democracy with true rule of law is in place in Armenia, which is why we have all those corruption problems leading to severe poverty which resulted in a mass exodus (estimates are that almost 1,000,000 Armenians left Armenia since independence), although the migration issue seems to be getting better.