Before reading about how poverty affects power one must first actually know what poverty is. Poverty is (2017) “The state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. This quote only spoke to the monetary aspect of poverty, but it impacts people in more ways than just their economic status. Poverty has a very intricate and involved impact on power. it is indirect, but it limits opportunities and hinders further education, and discriminates heavily upon those in that impoverished state.
The rate of Americans under the federal poverty line has been increasing for the last twenty years. The ignorance and indifference of those in power will straighten out when their income is impacted as a result. Those …show more content…
People look at them differently and expect certain behaviors, and for them to fit into all the stereotypes. This can often result in the poor being held back by the limitations set on them by those in power. However for most people in impoverished situations, that is not the case and they are merely stuck in their circumstances. Poor people obviously partake in the most low paying jobs, of which are hard to maintain or seasonal. In 2003, Sawhill said, “These changes in hours worked are exacerbating pre existing income gaps between rich and poor. Changes in hourly rates of pay over this period have also favored the more advantaged, but this growing salary gap has been greatly amplified by a growing hours gap.” (Sawhill, 2003, p.90). Of course the more advantaged are getting more hours and making more money. However, looking at this from another perspective, this trend they speak to has also served to keep those in poverty down and those at the top in power; which is a positive impact on power. While it is also the obvious choice to hire someone more well off, that comes from a better background, it is also a discriminatory choice to pass up on the individual that does not, solely upon the grounds of socioeconomic status, or the fact that the one candidate uses public transportation to get around. Another example of the discrimination against the poor is from the article on …show more content…
A quote that might support this is: “Moreover, surveys of the jobless suggest that a lack of jobs is not the primary reason for the failure to find and maintain employment. In 1999 when the Census Bureau interviewed the the heads of poor families about their failure to work in thein the preceding year, only 6 percent of women and 12 percent of men said they were unable to find work. The remainder cited reasons such as their obligations to school, job training, and family for their lack of employment. Clearly, many of the jobs available to those with limited education are low-paying and disagreeable. For these reasons, and because they often have access to other sources of income such as welfare, illegal earnings, or help from relatives, many of the unemployed are not interested in taking these jobs.”(Sawhill, p.85, 2003). These percentages suggest that about ninety-four percent of women and eighty-eight percent of men could actually find work but still remained jobless. They resorted to other means of getting money, of which were either illegal or unsustainable. This position makes a valid point, nevertheless the other one is more accurate, and entails the point of discrimination and lack of education. Say a poor man did find a job, was employed and working, but like previously stated he is poor, impoverished.