In traditional history writing, marginalised groups are excluded from the mainstream of history and treated as ‘history-less’; their contributions to society are not recognised.

In a class based society where there is a large gap between the rich and the poor, beggars emerged as a dependent class relying on the benevolence of rich people. Since all religions encourage charity (highly praised and considered to be a quality favoured by God), this concept has also been used to maintain the domination of the upper classes and to curb the bitterness and hard feelings of the very poor against the exploiters.

The ‘beggars’ are groups that are contemptuously treated and looked down upon by the society. Whenever they are mentioned in historical narratives, they are used to project the image of wealthy people as their benefactors. According to the German philosopher Nietzsche, moral values of kindness and pity assert the superiority of upper classes towards the subordinate section of society.

There are various kinds of beggars. Seneca (d.65AD) the Roman philosopher, points out that there were professional beggars in the Roman Empire. It was the practice of their leaders to kidnap children, break their bones and deform their bodies in order to get the attention of the people who would pity them and try to compensate by giving them a decent amount of money as alms. Charles Dickens also talks of professional beggars during the Victorian age of England, when organised beggar groups existed whose activities were to beg and hand over money to their bosses, who in return looked after their welfare.

“They are but beggars that can count their worth.” — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

This practice has continued to the present day. There are gangs of beggars who try to get the attention of people in all sorts of ways to extract money from them as charity. We find beggars simply everywhere especially in markets, hospitals, mosques and shrines appealing to people to give them alms either in the name of religion or out of pity.

In classical Greek philosophy, there was a movement known as cynicism, the followers of which retired from worldly matters and survived on begging. One of its famous founders was Diogenes (dc.323BC), who possessed nothing but a clay pot for drinking water. One day he saw a boy cupping his hands to drink water from a river. He broke his clay pot and from then on decided to drink water just like the boy did at the river bank. He lived all his life on charity.

In some religions, begging is encouraged in order to allow people to express their piety. In Buddhism, Bhikshu, the male and Bhakshan, the female are not allowed to own a private property or have any connection with the material world.

Saint Francis of Assisi (1181–1226) was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. In 1204, Francis had a vision that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for worldly life. On a pilgrimage to Rome, he joined the poor in begging at St. Peter’s Basilica. The experience moved him so much that he decided to live in poverty. Upon his return home, he began preaching on the streets, and soon amassed a following.

In the 16th century Holland and Belgium, better known as the United Provinces, resisted the rule of Spain. During the struggle, a delegation of the United Provinces approached the lady Governor of Spain in order to present some of their demands. When the petition was presented to her, one of the advisors asked her not to accept their demands because they were beggars. When the delegation returned without success they became known as beggars and the word became a symbol for their struggle against Spain; going up on their banners as a symbol of resistance. When the navy joined the rebellion they became known as the ‘sea beggars’. Thus the word ‘beggar’ exploited the emotions of people in their fight for liberation against Spain.

In Europe, begging was not condemned during the medieval period. However, after the industrial revolution, begging was denounced and society urged people to work and earn their livelihood through labour. In some European countries begging is banned by law.

In case of Pakistan, begging is widespread. Those who neither have financial support from their family, nor a source of income, resort to begging. On the other hand, there are professional beggars who exploit people emotionally and adopt begging as a source of livelihood.

Begging also flourishes in our society because of the feudal culture. The rich and wealthy feel proud to provide food to poor and hungry people. Through such acts, they earn themselves a good reputation in society. But charity cannot eliminate poverty and transform the society to one that is prosperous and flourishing. Begging can only be eradicated from the society when the state takes the responsibility for education, health, employment and welfare of the people.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, September 14th, 2014