EXPLAINING POVERTY

CULTURAL EXPLANATIONS

  • Also called individualistic theories, favoured by the right and blame the poor.
  • The Culture of Poverty


Norms, values, attitudes and beliefs distinguish the poor from the rest of society. Poverty is not just having no money, but the poor are different, which continues from Spencer's view in Victorian Britain, that they were weak, wicked, had large families or spent thier money unwisely. Oscar Lewis (1968) described the way of life for the poor in Latin America. They lived for now rather than planned. They don't join political parties or trade unions which might help them. This view was later applied by Harrington, to the poor in the USA, who are far more likely to be ethnic.
  New right has continued the argument. Murray said immoral lives of inner-city poor to blame. Marsland, in UK, said welfare dependence is the cause of poverty.

The Solution

Change the inadequate culture. In Victorian times through the church and its schools, after, through education.
No benefits or a minimum wage, the state using rewards and punishments to reduce welfare dependence.

 Evaluation of Cultural Theories

  • May not be a separate culture, anyone can move in or out of poverty.
  • Not only 'problem' families. Low paid workers also poor.
  • Different lifestyle eg. welfare dependence, may be the result and not the cause.
  • Supporters of the inequality can blame the poor rather than the powerful.
  • The Valentines (1968) said that the distinctive culture helped the poor adapt to their situation.


STRUCTURAL EXPLANATIONS OF POVERTY

  • Favoured by the left, tend to blame class, gender and ethnic inequalities.
  • Peter Townsend - a Social Democratic view, the poor lack education and are low classed.
  • Marxist views, poor are the lowest paid part of the working class. The poor are a reserve army of labour who keep wages low and divide the working class.
  • Feminist views, women are particularly venerable, as made dependent on men or the state because of their responsibility for childcare.

The solutions

  • Change the unequal structure of society.
  • Marxists want revolution.
  • Social Democratic: support the poor through legal protection, miniumum wages, and the redistribution of income and wealth through taxes and benefits.
  • In the past, political parties and unions helped.

Evaluation of Structural Theories

All parties generally want to make the difference between those who can't work from the undeserving poor who need less benefit and more training. Inequality is not the same as poverty. Earning less in a rich country can still be enough.

Social problems are issues of public concern. Sociological problems, are phenomena which sociologists are trying to explain.

Social Democrats, are critical of inequality in capitalism, but see reform rather than a Marxist revolution as the solution.

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