Beggary in the society: a sociological study in the selected villages in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Beggary is a great socio-economic problem found in many of the underdeveloped countries of the world. It is a symptom of personal as well as social disorganization. Beggary in a street at once remind us of an illorganized society (Rao, 2003). Begging has reached the highest position in the category of social evils in the human society. Sociologists and social scientists view beggars as a burden wedged in the shoulder of the society.The objectives of this research are to identify the different age categories of beggars, types of beggars and the reasons behind begging in the selected villages in Sri Lanka. This research was accompanied among 185 beggars by providing questionnaires who have begged from December 2018 to November 2019 by using convenience sample method. Along with that, 16 key informant interviews, 02 focus group discussion (FGD)and observation methods were used as primary data collection tools. Economic causes, social causes, physical causes, religious causes and natural calamities are the basis of increasing beggars in the society. Legislation on beggary prevention, establishment of protective rehabilitation centres, forming care homes, providing financial assistance, incorporation into the National Development Plans, provision of workhouses and schemes to collect donations are some suggestions to control beggary in the society.