Introduction
Poverty can be defined in dissimilar ways. It refers to a state in which people’s essential needs are not met. In most times, poverty is defined in complete terms of low income. Consequently, Poverty is related with the undermining of a variety of important human attributes such as housing, food, health, and education among other things. There are varying groups of the poor in society, who have been given different labels to explain their socioeconomic status. One of such groups is the underclass who refers to a persistent poverty populace whose lower income is transferred from one generation to the next owing to their inherently dysfunctional behaviors. They are largely distributed in urban areas and appear marginalized in society. Another group is the working poor who are working individuals whose level of income fall below a specified poverty line. According to Herbert Gan, a sociologist, the rich people in society tend to stereotype the poor as undeserving for multifaceted reason. He is particularly critical of the kind of labeling like the ‘underclass’ given to the poor, which he thinks are hindrances to their freedom from poverty. However, this paper seeks to provide a difference of who are labeled as the underclass and the working poor in society.
Initially, the underclass is composed of a group of people in society who are unwilling to work. At most times, these individuals always posses the working ability but conversely claim disability. In cases where they are able to secure any employment, it happens to be a very precarious one. Consequently, such people lack any meaningful employment in society. Unlike the underclass however, the working poor are individuals who go to work in society. Despite being employed however, their earnings are insufficient to meet their basic wants. This is not to mean that their source of employment is unstable like those in the underclass .In fact, most of these individuals are said to be working for at least twenty seven weeks in a year.
Furthermore, although the underclass is comparatively few in numbers, they have come to be a substantial burden to both the state and other individuals in their societies. Owing to the fact that they do not work, they depend on others to provide for their daily needs and can be termed therefore as long term beggars. It also follows that this group of people are enduring recipients of public welfare from the state. Conversely, the working poor happen to be more independent in their societies. They struggle to make ends meet on their own and could only be beneficiaries of policies like the minimum wages. They however do not rely on state welfare or other people for their needs. However, the state and public depends on them since they are tax payers just like the rest in society.
Lastly, the underclass in society is usually associated with ill characteristic behaviors. These individuals are alleged to not only reason differently but also behave differently. Their composition captures a range of social ills for instance crimes, single parent families, drug addicts, street children among others. The working poor in society however cannot be defined by any specific behavioral characteristics. Instead only economic characteristics can be used to define them. They are alleged for example to have poor housing structures, clothing and feeding habits. This is mainly because of their low earnings.
