Tackling Poverty

Question 1

Overview

Answer 1

The main driver of urban inequality is wealth. Richer
cities like London tend to have much higher rates of
inequality, while the more equal cities are those that
are smaller, have lower average wages and are coming
out of the end of years of industrial decline. On the
national stage, a redistributive tax system can help to
reduce inequality, but at the local level the effects of
this are less clear.

Question 2

Enforcing living wage

Answer 2

In China, minimum wages have grown
steadily. In 2020, Shanghai continues to have the
highest minimum wage in China at US $358 per
month, followed by Shenzhen and Beijing, both at
US $318 per month. In some rural areas wages can
be as low as US $166 per month. Despite this, China still have highest inequality in world

Question 3

Provisions of schools

Answer 3

Education may be taken
for granted in many high-income countries but
schooling beyond primary school level helps lift
millions of people out of poverty in lower-income
countries.

Question 4

Supporting low skilled workers

Answer 4

• Supporting low-skilled workers who want to
develop their abilities: Cities need to ensure
labour markets are inclusive, giving all residents
the skills and opportunities needed to enter the
workforce.

Question 5

Access to affordable housing

Answer 5

The presence of slum
housing in poorer cities should not hide the fact that
access to affordable housing is a major problem in
wealthy cities too. In London, the lack of affordable
housing has been blamed for breaking up families,
reducing employment prospects and mobility and
slowing the economy.

The London Living Rent scheme offers affordable rented accommodation
to middle-income households who currently rent
and want to build up savings to buy a home. It is
one of three schemes introduced by the Mayor of
London. The others are London Affordable Rent for
households on low incomes and London Shared
Ownership.

Question 6

Provision of public transport

Answer 6

Affordable
public transport schemes improve mobility for the
city poor, enabling them access to employment,
education and services that could improve their
lives. Medellín, Colombia, has a cable car system to
help its citizens get around (Figure 9.20). Opened
in 2004, it has four separate lines and allows
people from previously isolated neighbourhoods
to travel into the centre of the city. The cable car
system connects to the city’s metro system and
offers some great views of the city. It has helped
transform a once very dangerous city into a top