The democratic approach to defining poverty is set in its theoretical context. The relevance of the approach for South Africa is discussed, and a definition is presented which emerges from quantitative research undertaken in South Africa in 2005. Various issues are considered in relation to the South African case, in particular the extent and nature of consensus across different groups; evidence of whether bounded realities and adaptive preferences could be deflating the definition; and a consideration of how the definition may change over time, particularly in relation to transitional necessities and the views of young people.