...Running Head: Poverty Examination of a Concept: Poverty Shelton Land Virginia Commonwealth University Poverty 2 EXAMINATION OF A CONCEPT: POVERTY Introduction Poverty has existed persistently since it was uncovered. The results of a family or individual living in poverty range from infectious diseases to drug abuse. “As the economy has shifted from the industrial sector to services and computer based technology, the impact has hit hardest for working class and poor families, with limited education, job skills and employment opportunities” (Walsh, 2003, pp.17). Despite the effects of poverty, different individuals have different perceptions about the persisting problem. Some assert that poverty is a natural condition of man; while others view it as self-imposed, imposed, or a debilitating economic situation. This paper will examine the many concepts of poverty and discuss how it is related to at least two theoretical perspectives on human behavior, how it has changed over time, current issues related to poverty and how these issues are similar and different for two countries. Definition Many scholars and researchers define poverty as an insufficiency of the material necessities of life. The disparities between the rich and poor have increased so solemnly since the industrial revolution that it formed a poverty line. A poverty line which is used in defining what percentage of the population is poor based on the economy. Poverty 3 The US Census Bureau (2009) cites...
Words: 2461 - Pages: 10
...The poverty line is vital to the government of the United States. While society uses it to determine who is considered poor, there have been some changes in world for it to be invalid. With times changing, there could be some adjustments done to the policy for it to be more accurate in modern times. While, there is much to be done, one would need to know the start of the poverty line. The beginning of the official poverty line was established in 1963 by Mollie Orshanky, the purpose being to see what makes one poor. Orshanky’s job was to determine what was the biggest necessity for people to purchase. With her angle on food being key, she configured the formula, which resulted the first poverty line being approximately $3,600 a year. With her first draft of the line being presented, she then had to rework to include less people in poverty, which moved the line to $3,000 a year....
Words: 490 - Pages: 2
...Morality” by Peter Singer and “Poverty and Parenthood” by Stuart Rachel, both authors argue on their different viewpoint of what is morally right when it comes to preventing suffering and what hinders us to prevent or reduce that suffering. They both agree that donation to charity to reduce suffering is a short term solution, while reducing the population on the planet is a permeant solution to the suffering of starvation. They argue that it is our individual duty to make reasonable choices that will help prevent the suffering, but their view on what these choices are differs. In his essay, Perter Singer argues that affluent nations have the duty to prevent avoidable poverty and death in poorer nations. He states that our negative actions towards the suffering caused by poverty and death are not justifiable. By ignoring the suffering, we as a society are taking life for...
Words: 1089 - Pages: 5
...01 November 2011 Poverty Rises, Inequality Gap Widens Wealth of 40 richest Indonesians equivalent to 60 million people’s Key Points: • Poverty rate rises over the last three years, Indonesia is the worst country in Southeast Asia in combating poverty • Inequality gap widens, wealth and economic resources are concentrated in a small number of people only • Social and economic justice must be included as development target to prevent social explosion and maintain the sustainability of the development process Managing Director: Setyo Budiantoro, MA Perkumpulan Prakarsa Executive Director ndonesia is the poorest performer on poverty reduction in Southeast Asia region. It is calculated that 2.7 million people become poorer in the country over the last three years. This increase of extreme poverty is, shamefully, the worst one in the region. Indonesia even lags behind its neighboring countries such as Cambodia and Laos in reducing poverty, -not to mention when it is compared to the better off neighbors such as Thailand or Malaysia. Moreover, it is not just that the poverty increases, the share of wealth has also been more disproportionate. The accumulation of 0.02 % richest Indonesians’ wealth is equivalent to 25% of the country’s total GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and the wealth owned by only these 43 thousand people is equal to the wealth accumulation of another 140 million people. If this situation persists, people will feel that their sense of social-economic justice...
Words: 3760 - Pages: 16
...19 Trillion (1:54, February 3rd, 2016), the US just cannot afford any of these programs. Welfare hurts the US and it’s citizens, because the programs hurt the economy, welfare recipients stay on welfare , and there hasn’t been a measurable change in the poverty level. Welfare hurts the economy, the numbers don’t lie.. Debt in the US is at an all time high and there’s no room for more spending. For example, Ed Feulner’s “The Spiraling State of Welfare Spending says, “Under the president’s spending plans, by 2022 we’ll be spending $2.33 on welfare for every $1 we spend on defense. Overall, President Obama plans to spend 12.7 trillion on means-tested welfare over the next decade” (Feulner). If one does the math it comes out to $1,361,673,412,700, or around 1/18 of the US national debt for this year alone. Another example described by Feulner is “According to...
Words: 1192 - Pages: 5
...way to death. Poverty of Mind Underline idea(s) that you find intriguing The mind is a very powerful tool that runs on the data that we put into it. We all have lenses that filter how we see the world around us. Based on what passes through those lenses, we build a system of how we perceive the world. It shapes what we believe to be true. Our life, culture, choices everything is shaped by these beliefs. These lenses are given to us through the influences throughout our life. We all have key people or events that shaped our belief systems. Our parents, siblings, friends, culture, media, religion all play a big role in what lens we wear. Culture is formed by a group of people that all wear similar lens or have shared belief systems. There is nothing good or bad about that, it is just a way of life for all of us. Our beliefs shape what we value in life. They shape what our culture values. Our values shape the actions or behaviors we engage in. They shape the common practices of our culture, our communities. Our actions or behaviors always lead to results or outcomes. To put it simply think of a tree. The roots are like our beliefs they hold us in place and provide stability. Our values are like the trunk of that tree. They are visible and strong. Our actions or behaviors are like the branches, they stem from what we value. Lastly the fruit or flowers that grow on the branches are the results of our actions or behaviors. There is a way that seems right to us but the results of...
Words: 676 - Pages: 3
...didn’t think of them in this way since starting class and doing the research we’ve done, have taught me so much. Many of society issues are social inequality, poverty, urbanization, discrimination against race, and culture. When learning about these issues, I’ve decided to do my paper on Poverty and Children in the United States. Poverty within the United States has become a major issue that affects our society and at hand families with children are coming face to face with this issue every day of their life. Poverty has become a major issue in our society today due to the result of our economy and the decision that one makes in life. And sad to say when the economy is always on the defense at failing, the children of our society have to pay a high price. There’s many reason and factors that can be related to one’s poverty. Some factors that can take place to which can place a child at poverty could be, single parent, unemployment, homelessness, abuse, or mother having more kids she can take care of. Over time history shows that poverty in the United States has raised a great deal. Many of us can’t even imagine how it feel to live in poverty, even if it’s looking us right in our eyes, we still try not to picture ourselves in that place. Poverty means can range from so much, and not just from not having enough money. Poverty truly mean not having enough of everything you need in order to take care of your household, money, and food is the main source. Not being able to having enough...
Words: 1845 - Pages: 8
...it is very relevant to modern society. Poverty tends to be the greatest ill that plagues the Filipino as a society. The poor ranges from poor, very poor, and to the very, very poor. The topic URBAN POOR was selected from a group of topics given and then given emphasis by the author according to the relevance of this specific group in today’s world. Each condition is specifically analyzed in different aspects and parts to further understand the study. In doing so, one will be able to broaden one’s ideas and analysis in certain conditions in relation to the topic about Urban poor. This will also have an analysis of their general condition using a theory application- which most probably is CONFLICT THEORY, a theory discussed in class with relation to the Sociological Theories presented. This paper was developed as a requirement and further study of the Sociological Theories presented in class and as a meaningful output of all the lectures and discussions that happened during class. Analysis was done by choosing a theoretical orientation from the ones discussed in class. Students and professionals are the intended audiences of this study. This study will hopefully be of help in the development of concrete analysis and plans not just towards the Sociological development of the urban poor, but of the holistic development as well. The informations contained in this study were based on researches provided by related literature and on- line based sources, more of secondary sources...
Words: 2885 - Pages: 12
...Running Head: POVERTY IN AMERICA The Effects of Poverty on Millions Americans and New faces of Poverty & Possible Prevention Clara M Jones Strayer University Instructor: Dr. Astiage Tondari Economics of Social Issues ECO405009VA016-1124-001 June 9, 2012 Abstract When a person think of poverty, one simply says’ and or think that individuals, families, groups, and what have you lack financial stability; however, there is so much more that should be considered when it comes to poverty. The World Health Organization has described poverty as the greatest cause of suffering on earth. Living in a state of financial instability is both physically and emotionally damaging, the stress alone can make one ill. Poverty continues to be a problem not only in the United States of America but in developing countries and less developed countries (LDC) worldwide. Some of those countries are under developed countries and developing countries; furthermore, there are major problems in both. The main focus in this paper is on poverty in America; also, the new faces of poverty and how it affects the new faces. . Four Families of Article from USA TODAY, September 28, 2011 The article covers various issues of poverty of different families and individuals; however, the main portion of the article is about a father in Leesburg, Virginia. The man’s name is Billy Schlegel. He is the father of three children; also, he is divorced as of 2004. Billy and his ex-wife share joint...
Words: 5570 - Pages: 23
...Who are the poor? The answer is what poverty is. WHAT IS POVERTY? In the most extreme definition, poverty manifests itself in the form of outright starvation and destitution because individuals or households do not possess the resources which give access to the basics for survival or which enable them to enjoy some minimum standard of living. (Christine Barrow; 2001) From a theoretical Perspective of Poverty. Culture of Poverty The underlying idea is that the lifestyle of the poor differs in many respects to that of the non poor in society. Similarities have been found in this poverty lifestyle even across different societies. This leads to the development of a sub culture, with its own norms and values, which can now be transmitted from one generation to the next. Technically, the culture of poverty is a subculture of poor people in ghettos, poor regions or social contexts where they develop a shared set of beliefs, values and norms for behaviour that are separate from but embedded in the culture of the main society. Once the culture of poverty has come into existence it tends to perpetuate itself. By the time slum children are six or seven they usually absorbed the basic attitudes and values of their subculture. Thereafter they are psychologically unready to take full advantage of changing conditions or improving opportunities that may develop in their lifetime. Oscar Lewis. Marxist Perspectives Conflict theorists posit that poverty results from the failure of the state...
Words: 1598 - Pages: 7
...Poverty in America; Created or Inherited According to an article written by Barbara Ehrenreich “How I Discovered the Truth about Poverty”, society defines poverty by its ethnicity, culture and economic status. Ehrenreich accredited this discovery to Michael Harrington. Government assisted programs were design to be a temporary remedy for poverty, instead it is a crutch for others. The implication that poverty was not caused by “low wages or lack of jobs, but bad attitudes and faulty lifestyles” projects images of laziness (608). Society defines poverty by an individual capability to earn wages without the assistance and dependency on the government. Ehrenreich describes the history timeline of poverty, referencing Harrington’s book “The Other America”. Poverty was not acknowledged as a problem until, Harrington discovered that one quarter of the population who is “the inner-city black, Appalachian white, farm worker and the elderly” lives in poverty (609). Based on his analogy these categories of individual...
Words: 642 - Pages: 3
...The Arithmetic of Inequality Jimmy is a second grader. He pays attention in school, and he enjoys it. School records show that he is reading slightly above grade level and has a slightly better than average IQ. Bobby is a second grader across town. He also pays attention in class and enjoys school, and his test scores are similar to Jimmy's. Bobby is a safe bet to enter college (more than four times as likely as Jimmy) and a good bet to complete it -- at least twelve times as likely as Jimmy. Bobby will probably have at least four years more schooling than Jimmy. He is twenty seven times as likely as Jimmy to land a job which by his late forties will pay him an income in the top tenth of all incomes. Jimmy has about one chance in eight of earning a median income (Bassis, 1991:216). I. Basic Definitions A. Life Chances Life chances refer to one's access to resources. Life chances can refer to one's ability to get food and shelter. It also refers to access to social institution such as health care, education, the government, and the law (to mention a few). Social class affects one's life chances across a broad spectrum of social phenomenon from health care, to educational attainment, to participation in the political process, to contact with the criminal justice system. B. What is Social Stratification? Social stratification refers to the division of a society into layers (or strata) whose occupants have unequal access to social opportunities and rewards. People in the top strata...
Words: 5484 - Pages: 22
...This research paper will focus on how the World Bank has helped many third world counties to transition into developing nations. The mission of the World Bank is total elimination of poverty from the face of the earth by the year 2030 (www.worldbank.org). The World Bank has been helping many developing countries to fight against diseases such as AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in many parts of the world (Clark, 2011). The World Bank is offering financial help for several programs to help with agriculture, transportation, infrastructure, and irrigation in many South Asian countries to reduce poverty. There has been so much controversy about the activities of the World Bank. Even though the main mission of the World Bank is to alleviate poverty from the face of the earth, there has been severe criticism that the World Bank is changing its focus to financial policy reforms and structural adjustments. The World Bank as an international financial institution has done so much to help numerous developing countries when they are in financial crisis or needed help to undertake a major development project. Regardless of the criticism and corruption accusations, this author believes that the World Bank is in the right direction by providing basic reforms and structural adjustments in order to alleviate poverty. If the World Bank just donated billions of dollars to a developing country without any concrete objective, that money might be used for gaining political advantages. For this research...
Words: 7437 - Pages: 30
...PAD-201: Social Change 24 March 2015 Poverty Introduction In order to define and understand what poverty is, we can consider about conditions of having a little or no money, goods or means of support, state of being poor and lack of vital resources such as education, healthcare, food, clean water and safety. According to Feed America analysis, there were around 14.5% of population (43.5 million) who lived in poverty in 2013 whereas 15.1% lived in poverty in 2010. Thus we can see that poverty rate among United States slightly decreased due to powers applied by different sectors of country, such as government, business and society/non-profit organizations. United Nations organization states that about 21,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes, it means that there is one person die every four seconds. It is very sad because children die most often. Today, poverty is a huge issue which affects global economy and wealth of the whole population. Moreover, we see high level of inequality, there are people who earn couple dollars a day, whether they live in wealthiest nation in the world or poorest, the difference is real. Many people feel that high level of inequality will affect social cohesion and lead to problems such as increasing crime and violence. Moreover, the poorest part of people always has less access to health, education and other services provided by government and private businesses. Some of these people cannot even afford initials...
Words: 2913 - Pages: 12
...1. A perfectly competitive market has the following characteristics. (i) The market consists of buyers and sellers who are price takers. (ii) Each firm in the market produces undifferentiated and homogenous products. (iii) Buyers and sellers have perfect information about the price prevailing in the mark! About the availability of commodities at any given point of time. (iv) Firms can enter or exit the market freely. Implications: The implications of all these features is that there is single price in the mark no individual buyer can change it. On this price a firm can sell any amount of output. Because of flu demand of a firm is perfectly elastic and hence a horizontal line at the market price. Another implication is that a firm will produce only when it is profitable to produce, otherwise it will stop the products. * Characteristics of a Perfectly Competitive Market * The Law of One Price * Price Taking Behavior * Free Entry * Accounting vs. Economic Profit * Marginal Revenue * The Firm's Short Run Supply Curve * The Shut Down Price * The Short Run Market Supply Curve * Short Run Perfectly Competitive Equilibrium * The Firm's Long Run Supply Curve * Long Run Perfectly Competitive Equilibrium * The Long Run Market Supply Curve * Pecuniary Effects * Economic Rent * Producer's Surplus 1. Perfectly Competitive Market Characteristics of a perfectly competitive market/industry: * Numerous buyers and...
Words: 6230 - Pages: 25
