The Undeserving and Deserving Poor Structure - 1065 Words

Having only recently permeated the public and political lexicon, there are few debates that evoke such passion as that of the underclass. Karl Marx tabled the idea of the lumpen proletariat, yet in the modern era, the concept did not take hold in Britain until 1989. Today, the debate focuses on whether frictional forces create a continuum of inequality, or whether a defined underclass does exist. The question asks if poor people belong in a separate underclass, which is a vague definition. There will always be poor people, but whether or not this automatically qualifies them as a separate underclass is tenuous at best. Even the most radical proponents for the existence of the underclass stop short of declaring all those below the†¦show more content†¦Kenworthy concluded that even modest increases would be sufficient to reduce the poverty rate in the United States (Kenworthy, 1999, pp 1138). Empirical evidence for the existence of a continuum of inequality must also be examined alongside the key sociological debates. At the time of Murray’s study, Sir Keith Joseph completed a landmark intergenerational project on poverty. It sheds light on one of the key tenets of the pro-underclass debate; that those that are born into the underclass, remain in it. (Welshman, 2007) Joseph concluded that actually, social mobility was in action, stating that at least 50% of children born into the poorest 10% of households did not remain in it after the age of 15 (Welshman, 2007). There was no sense that like begets like, indicating that at least at a micro level, the very poorest can and do improve their situation. However, the facts remain, especially today, that incomes are becoming more polarised at a rate faster than ever before. Relatively speaking, social mobility from the lowest socioeconomic groups has stalled and child poverty is increasing for the first time in twenty yea rs. Finally, crucial to this question is how one defines the underclass, whether in economic or behavioural terms. In economic terms, it is easy to argue that the poor are part of a continuum of inequality. Frictional labour market movements, polarised incomes and underemployment all lead to individuals beingShow MoreRelatedProblems Of Global Development : Critical Reflection Paper Essay1546 Words   |  7 Pagesresearch delves into publicity campaigns by Oxfam Unwrapped, Nike Foundation and Divine Chocolate, concluding that visual representations of the majority world is racialized and gendered (315). The portrayal of the poor in development discourses by INGOs as either â€Å"deserving† or â€Å"undeserving† of support is a common theme in the aforementioned areas of research, and will hence be a primary topic of conversation in this paper. I shall argue that the development platforms constructed by INGOs have dehistoricizedRead MoreThe Elizabethan Poor Law1592 Words   |  7 Pages The Elizabethan Poor Law was passed in 1601 as a state response to the dire need of the poor in British North America and acted as â€Å"measures for the relief of destitution† (Fowle, 1881, p.55). Previously, the Catholic Church was Britain’s state church, but on the decision of Henry VIII, the state would become the source of aid for the poor (Finkel, 2006). Simultaneously, the feudal system was winding down in England along with the societal norm that serfs were the responsibility of landlords soRead MoreThe Media s Coverage On Poverty, Government Policies, And The Public s Perceptions Of The Poor1762 Words   |  8 Pagesconsequences for individuals and society as a whole, so it is a greatly covered topic in the media. The way that the poor are represented in these outlets is important as it can affect government policies, and the public’s perceptions of poverty. In this paper I examine the relationship between the media’s coverage on poverty, governm ent policies, and the public’s perceptions of the poor. I have concluded that Americans’ views on poverty have shifted from structural explanations of poverty to more individualisticRead MoreThe Conflicting Tensions Of The Juvenile Justice System3706 Words   |  15 Pagesindustrialization, capitalism, and stratification of the class system - reformers helped establish the juvenile justice system as a way to decrease the rising juvenile crimes while also maintaining the dignity of the ‘uncontaminated’ and therefore deserving youth (Platt, 1977; Peirce, 1869). However, in reality, the complicated nature of working with children and crime have left the juvenile justice system continue to struggle with clarifying and following through with its mission. As social workersRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination: The Effect of Personal Experiences on the Public 3986 Words   |  16 Pagesit is something that is affected largely by social structures and policy an d thus a real public concern, and indeed, one that everybody should take responsibility for. Looking at Mills notion of the sociological imagination with the question of whether or not poverty is a public issue in mind, we can see that Mills does consider poverty to be a public issue. The quote highlighted within the question considers the effects of societal structures, the first example that  Mills  highlights in this quote  Ã‚  isRead MoreMarxists theory to the sociological understanding of crime and deviance913 Words   |  4 PagesMarxism is a macro/structural approach to society, meaning that it looks at the large-scale societal structure for answers about how society works and operates and explores crime and deviance in relation to classes within a capitalist society. Marxists claim that laws do not reflect a value consensus, instead laws and law enforcement benefits the rich (protection of private property), and discriminate the poor which brings about social class reproduction, the working class are criminalised for their crimesRead MoreOne Unaccounted For Fa ctor That Is Impacting The Level1445 Words   |  6 Pagespoints: first I will define the theories of benevolent/hostile sexism and racism, and how stereotypes integrate these theories into societal perceptions of who is more or less deserving of redistribution. Second, I will build upon Martin Gilens’ argument that Americans are less favorable towards welfare due to notions that the poor are underserving and that blacks are generally lazy, which has a direct impact on gendered racism such as the â€Å"Welfare Queen Myth†. Last, I will considered and dissect previousRead MoreSocial Work And The British Welfare Society2555 Words   |  11 Pagesdisabled or recipients of poor relief, (Thane, 1996), to supporting the ‘service users’ of today to take charge of their own care. This essay will explore this evolution of social work and the British welfare society, paying particular attention to the theories of Anti-discriminatory Practice (ADP) and Anti-oppress ive Practice (AOP), two fundamental aspects of modern day social work; illustrated by the example of this shift in societal perceptions and treatment of the mad poor to the mental health serviceRead MoreIs Homelessness A Social Problem?971 Words   |  4 Pagespersonal deficiency, the liberals hold a much different view. They often believe that homelessness is from a form of social structure that involves lack of employment, the failing economy, low wages, and perhaps even poor health care or no health care at all. Liberals also don’t place labels on the homeless, or differentiates between those deserving of help, or those undeserving. It seems as though the liberal’s views and perspectives are that if society can help get the homeless population off theRead MoreThe Reign Of Queen Elizabeth I And The Elizabethan Era1787 Words   |  8 Pagesneighborhoods of the poor, raw sewage or waste ran through the streets. Disease and crime was everywhere. Laborers who came to London from the country regularly failed to find jobs. Homeless would often search for a way to feed themselves. Many turned to small crimes such as begging, picking pockets, and prostitution, to avoid starving to death. There was little to no help for the sick, elderly, and orphans. The life expectancy of an Elizabethan was only 42 years but it was much lower for the poor and homeless