Poverty is one of the most familiar and enduring conditions known to humanity. For almost as long as we have records of writing, it has been an object of consideration. However, the significance of poverty has changed over time. In non-industrialised societies widespread poverty was accepted as inevitable, while in modern times, especially with increased economic productivity ever since the industrialisation, this ceased to be the case. Three broad schools of thought attempt to explain the roots of poverty. Undoubtedly, causes of poverty are complex, and mechanisms for poverty to perpetuate differ across societies and various social stages. In a transformational society, things could get even more complex.