The Culture of Poverty This paper is about poverty or, if to say more precisely, it is about the culture of poverty. In this paper I want to examine Undeserving Poor by Michael Katz. This book is a unique example of deep research of social life. I do not know other books, which can be compared with Undeserving Poor by Michael Katz. During his life Michael Katz has written widely about the history of U.S. social welfare policy. In his books he usually accentuates urban history, race, poverty, education, etc. Throughout the history of America, there have been numerous attempts to differentiate classes of poverty.
The major distinction of poverty as a moral status coevolved in the early 19th century along with capitalism and democracy. This moral defining of poverty distinguished the culture of poverty, which served multiple purposes. For example, in the land of opportunity where such economic potential awaited, poverty was an indication of failure. This made certain the continuance of cheap labor due to the moral motivation to work (Undeserving Poor).
Michael Katz made a magisterial overview of past years. From the position of social historian he examined the ideas and assumptions that shaped public policy from the sixties War on Poverty to the current war on welfare.
Michael B. Katz evaluates the theory of the culture of poverty through writings of prominent social and political researchers. The main concept of the culture of poverty Katz borrowed from Oscar Lewis. The term culture of poverty was introduced in sociology by Oscar Lewis in 1966 in his book “La Vida: A Puerto Rican Family in the Culture of Poverty, San Juan and New York Lewis wanted to demonstrate that the poor is a legitimate subject whose lives were changed by poverty. Lewis objective in defining the culture of poverty was not to create a discriminated against subculture, but instead to help people escape this viscous cycle. He determined that the fastest way of accomplishing this was through the organization of the culture of poverty.
The Essay on Social And Cultural Theories Of Poverty: Community Practices And Social Change
The major theme of the readings was postcolonial culture in different part of the world. The readings depict the struggle of the minority people and women in the society. From all the readings, it is evident that oppression and discrimination of the minority groups and women is prevalent even in the current society. Hence, the readings are present reflection of the past. The different readings use ...
Katz also looks at Michael Harringtons book The Other America, which attempts to define the poor in America in the 1960s. Harrington also attempts to give the poor a class of their ownan institution, a way of life. Harringtons efforts to eliminate the culture of poverty assumed the passivity of the poor, therefore, positive change would only result from support of the sympathetic elites. Katz gives purpose to associating dependent people as passivewithout the assistance of liberal intellectuals, dependent people would remain mired in their own degradation (Undeserving Poor) In 1960s, a discouraging fact came to be known: Between 40 and 50 million Americans were considered to be poor. Consequently, social scientists examined a new notion of the culture of poverty. The culture of poverty did not encompass all poor people by any means. Katz states Rather, it placed in a class by themselves those whose behaviors and values converted their poverty into an enclosed and self-perpetuating world of dependence (The Undeserving Poor) In 1980s the term underclass appeared as a new way in analyzing poverty.
For Michael Katz the mere invention of the underclass in the 1980s was like irradiation. In a figurative sense it was like a hint of light in the end of long dark tunnel. The invention of underclass echoes debated concerning the discovery of a culture of poverty. In addition, the concept of the homeless became more prevalent. The homeless became the new issue for public assistance. These factors also played their role in evaluating of alternative theory. As Katz describes the label of the underclass: When they appeared pathetic, they were the homeless; when they seemed menacing, they became the underclassAs long as they remained supplicants rather than militants, objects of charity rather than subjects of protest, the homeless became the new deserving poor (The Undeserving Poor) Katz alternative approach in explaining poverty consists in following statement assets must be equally distributed.
The Essay on Panama Poverty
Poverty is the lack of or inability to afford one’s basic needs as a human, they include nutrition, shelter, clean water, health care, clothing, and education among others. Panama has extremes of both wealth and poverty. The wealthiest 20 percent of Panamanians control more than 50 percent of the country’s wealth, while the poorest 40 percent only control 12 percent. The wealthiest ...
He emphasized that in nation as rich as America poverty exists just because of a political decision not to redistribute somebodys welfare to poorest. An unequal asset distribution is an important reason for the existing of poverty because it allows the income to flow beyond individuals and institutions with low income. He argues that because of unequal distribution we in a full measure can observe economic stagnation, a disproportionate rise in low-paying jobs and a declining minimum wage have exacerbated urban poverty. Katz gives purpose to associating dependent people as passivewithout the assistance of liberal intellectuals, dependent people would remain mired in their own degradation (Undeserving Poor).
That is why active line or activation is also an alternative approach in war in poverty. Everyone must be active, this was a new policy concept in unemployment policy inspired by work-fare principles. Notable is that fact that he destroys the underclass and the good old categorization of the poor into deserving” (e.g., widows) and undeserving” and makes a conclusion that domestic poverty has always .
. . been a necessary result of America’s distinctive political economy.” He also states that poverty is inherited and transmitted into the form of cultural maladaptations. Katz insists that this protective paradigm offered the poor social work and therapy when they needed economic justice and political mobilization. (Undeserving Poor) That is why in his book Michael Katz looks at an old attitude because answers to the solving of such deep social problems as poverty are hidden in the past. He wrote that culture of poverty solved another intellectual problem: how to account for the failure of the poor to rise up in protest on the streets or through the electoral system (The Undeserving Poor) Using his alternative approach to the well-known theory of poverty he argues against the identification of the poor as a waste of society, a some social subunit who lacks ambitions, moral standards and doesnt deserve public assistance, help or sympathy.
The Term Paper on How Is Poverty Constructed as a Social Problem in the UK Today
The term ‘social problem’ refers to certain problems that are socially recognised by society and are felt to threaten certain values cherished by the public. This essay will investigate the different types of poverty that occur in the U. K and will explore the sociological arguments as to how poverty links with social problems such as social exclusion, gender discrimination in the work place, lone ...
Michael Katz states that such stereotyping didnt appear from nowhere and has long history and that exactly such ingrained negative treatment of the poor obscures evaluation and developing of political and economic power in USA. Society flourish when each individual is treated with minimum condition of human dignity.
Bibliography:
Michael Katz, The Undeserving Poor, January 1990.
