“Poverty is the worst form of violence.”
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Attribution note
Wikiquote editors removed it for having no citation to a specific Gandhi use; it spread via the film. The candidate text also contains a typo ('Poqerty').
Likely origin: 'Poverty is the worst form of violence' — popularized by the 1982 film 'Gandhi'; removed from Wikiquote for lack of a Gandhi citation. Candidate is also mistyped as 'Poqerty'.
Review the attribution sourceAbout this quote
Often tied to Gandhi — largely through the 1982 film — though no source in his own writing confirms it. The underlying point still stands: deprivation harms people as surely as a blow, grinding down health, safety, and dignity slowly rather than all at once.
When to use it
- A child who skips meals can't focus in class, set back as surely as by any injury.
- A neighborhood with no clinics or jobs watches its health and safety erode year by year.
- A worker paid below a living wage is worn down over time by bills that never balance.