Writing : the phenomenon of begging
Topic
: How do you explain the exacerbation of the phenomenon of begging?
Introduction
When
you cross the alleys and streets of cities, wander the markets or sit in a
café, hordes of beggars of people of all ages and genders come towards you,
reaching out to appeal to sympathy and pity. The phenomenon of begging in our
country has worsened in recent years in an alarming manner. What are the reasons for the growing number
of beggars?
The reasons for the spread of the phenomenon of begging
The
first answer that comes to mind is poverty and need. Indeed, most beggars are
of rural origin: due to the massive
drought in Morocco in the early eighties, small farmers were forced to migrate
to major cities. Lacking an educational
level or training to engage in employment, they are forced to beg to support
their families and meet their basic needs. In addition, unemployment is another
factor contributing to the exacerbation of the phenomenon of begging. Because of the difficult international
circumstances of incorrect economic and social policies, a large number of
young people, both holders of higher education degrees and those who have not
received the slightest training, find themselves vulnerable to begging,
especially since a significant number of these young people use smoking, drugs
and alcoholic beverages, which makes them unable to work. We must not forget
the physical and mental disability that drives many to the profession of
beggary. In the absence of a clear and
effective policy for their integration into the economic and social fabric,
this group finds no aversion to begging.
The
phenomenon of begging cannot be explained only by poverty, physical and
intellectual disability. Indeed, many people voluntarily choose to become
beggars without having to do so out of misery or want. During sweeps carried out from time to time
by members of the police or services of the Ministry of Social Affairs,
pensioners are arrested, students who are still pursuing their studies and even
after junior employees and wage earners. Worse still, some beggars own
apartments, houses and real estate in major cities, where owning a house or a
piece of land is the preserve of well-to-do people. Images broadcast on television or published
between newspaper columns showing large sums of money hidden by beggars in
their clothes are evidence that some beggars beg for alms even though they are
not in dire need of it. But what is dangerous today is that begging has turned
into a lucrative profession that generates incomes that even some normal people
are salivating. The income today for a
beggar ranges from one hundred dirhams to five hundred dirhams as a minimum.
Laziness, showing off and seeking quick enrichment have become a culture among
young people, and these new values have replaced the love of work. Therefore, many young people today refuse to
work in some sectors that they consider humiliating, such as the construction
sector, knowing that this sector, which has witnessed a huge boom in recent
years, complains of a severe shortage of labor that receives a daily wage that
may reach one hundred and fifty dirhams. In other words, social and moral
values have changed: work is no longer a means of self-fulfillment and
legitimate income, but in the eyes of a large number of people as forced labor.
Conclusion
It is clear, therefore, that the causes of begging are not limited to poverty, unemployment and physical and mental disability, as the moral and cultural values that sanctified work and made it an important value began to gradually disintegrate and disappear in our society. But aren't there so many poor people who are patiently struggling and ashamed to reach out to people?