Begging in Spain: disappearing to some, multiplying to others
The IMV minimum income, the climate and mental health: why some say there are no more beggars while others see them multiply in Madrid and Seville.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Begging hasn't disappeared: it has moved to another neighbourhood
The debate over whether Spain's streets have run out of beggars has flared up again. While some insist they haven't seen anyone begging for years, others describe pavements lined with mattresses and people sleeping rough. The question is no small one: is the Ingreso Mínimo Vital (Spain's minimum income benefit) actually working, or are we simply looking the other way?
In Madrid, the city centre still shows an uncomfortable reality. Some argue that many of those sleeping on the street refuse benefits and shelters, and that their priority is not a roof but keeping their freedom, even if that means sleeping outdoors with a bottle of cheap wine. A description that clashes with the image of the classic beggar asking outside a church.
In Seville, the diagnosis is the opposite: begging has soared. Some analyses suggest the warm climate makes street life easier, and that begging has become for some an undeclared source of extra income, beyond the reach of the tax authority or any inspection. A harsh view that, however, coexists with another reality: that of the mentally ill who wander without treatment and without a safety net.
The only certainty is that perception depends on the neighbourhood and the city. While some see no beggars at all, others count up to three in a quiet residential area. The Titanic didn't see icebergs either.
The debate over whether Spain's streets have run out of beggars has flared up again. While some insist they haven't seen anyone begging for years, others describe pavements lined with mattresses and people sleeping rough. The question is no small one: is the Ingreso Mínimo Vital (Spain's minimum income benefit) actually working, or are we simply looking the other way?
In Madrid, the city centre still shows an uncomfortable reality. Some argue that many of those sleeping on the street refuse benefits and shelters, and that their priority is not a roof but keeping their freedom, even if that means sleeping outdoors with a bottle of cheap wine. A description that clashes with the image of the classic beggar asking outside a church.
In Seville, the diagnosis is the opposite: begging has soared. Some analyses suggest the warm climate makes street life easier, and that begging has become for some an undeclared source of extra income, beyond the reach of the tax authority or any inspection. A harsh view that, however, coexists with another reality: that of the mentally ill who wander without treatment and without a safety net.
The only certainty is that perception depends on the neighbourhood and the city. While some see no beggars at all, others count up to three in a quiet residential area. The Titanic didn't see icebergs either.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (10 replies).
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