Question of the day - Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?

Thinking up a question of the day is pretty tough so why break your head when someone else has already done that on your behalf.

Found some neat questions at 20 Questions for every Spiritual Seeker and will try and answer some of them each week in my Question of the day series. 

Here are some definitions to set the scene to answer the question.

Poverty - defined as a state of being extremely poor

Poor - defined as lacking sufficient money to live at a standard considered comfortable in society

Suffering - defined as the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship

So.... 

Why is there poverty in the world? (my views)

Based on the above definition of poverty, it exists because materialism has taken over the human race. "Status" in today's world is judged by the amount of money you make, the things you acquire and the lifestyle that you live. Human nature to keep for oneself has created a gap between those that have and those that have not. The ability to buy what one wants at any price has created a chasm between those that can afford that and those that can't.

But in taking a spiritual view, perhaps it exists because for the soul to understand and delight in the state of being rich, there must be it's opposite of poor. Duality exists everywhere  light and darkness, day and night, north and south, ebb and flow, yin and yang, even in Spirit in the form of Gods and Goddesses. To understand one, the other must exist. 

And perhaps it is those that we call poor who are actually the rich. I believe that Earth is a school for soul growth and a difficult one. To arrive on earth in a state of poverty and endure its harshness requires a richness of spirit and a greatly evolved soul (my belief).

And why is there suffering? (my views)

Suffering I believe is a state of mind. One suffers when one deems that one is (as per the definition) in pain, distress or hardship. Therefore, all may suffer or all may be free from suffering. 

I think we individually determine if we suffer. Example, in comparison to some of the richest (as in wealth) people in the world I should be suffering, but in reality I may actually suffer less than them because I am content with my current state of being whereas they may not be with theirs even though they may be infinitely wealthier than me.

And perhaps pain, distress and hardship are the accelerated pathways to soul growth.

I would be interested to read your views.