Inequality exists in all societies and poverty in almost all. The United States although a wealthy country by many standards had about 12% of its population being categorized as living in poverty or near poverty in 2002 (Rank, 2005; as quoted in Austin, 3). There are numerous theories on the causes of poverty. According to sociologists, social forces are the primary causes of poverty. A social force is an element of society, which has the capability of causing cultural change (s) or influence among people. The media, economic principles, religious beliefs, cultural practices among others are examples of social forces. The social forces control, influence, and define human behavior, which in turn determines whether one will be poor.
Sociologists explain that social stratification theories or the social isolation that stems from socioeconomic needs is major cause poverty. Social isolation and segregation determines one’s accessibility to human and capital resources that are vital in creating wealth. The lack of access to resources alters behaviors and social norms thereby deviating people to lead lifestyles that predispose them to poverty. Sociologist Coleman and others conceptualize capital (a requirement in wealth creation) as more than financial and educational resources. Capital includes social capital or the ideals, norms and interactions in the community (Austin, 12). A cycle of missing social capital (strong and trustful interpersonal relationships) predisposes people to poverty even if they may have educational and financial resources.
Most Americans explain poverty because of personal inadequacies among the poor. Majority of Americans view the poor in terms of their worthiness especially when it comes to receiving of government aid. Wax (2005) points out that what many American citizens accept as reasonable may not augur well with any coherent conception of equality or justice (p. 214) (as cited in Austin, 128). Many Americans view distributive justice in light of conditional reciprocity whereby those who are able-bodied should work while those who are not able-bodied should receive public assistance. As such, sociologists believe that poverty is largely due to individual social and behavioral deficiencies that make them less economically viable within conventional societies (Jordan, 19).
The differences in opinions about poverty can be attributed to capitalism. In the modern society, and especially in the United States, capitalism defines the livelihoods of people. Those who are deemed to work hard and utilize the resources within their disposal properly get rich while those who do not become economically disadvantaged (Austin, 9). The belief in constitutionalism also pushes Americans to have views about poverty that may conflict with the opinions of psychologists. The US constitution is the custodian of the people’s rights. As long as a social force such as religion, language, culture, educational among other falls under the confines of the constitution, its impacts on the poverty levels may not matter.
Many Americans are of the opinion that their society gives equal opportunities to all people, and whenever issues of poverty arise, they tend to blame those issues more on the victims. For instance, there has been ideological suspicion over relief programs in the US. Sociologist Robert Bellah states that Americans’ belief in “hyper-individualism” or “self-made man” counteracts social welfare efforts (Smiley and Cornel, 59). As such, there is distrust between the rich and the poor.
The sociologists believe that in any society there has to be poor people or an aspect of poverty. Whereas this definition may be true, no meaningful definition of the parameters that necessitate poverty, exist. On the other hand, there is ample evidence such as the constitution and equal access to education, which guarantee all people within a certain geographical region the right to abundance (Austin, 4). If indeed, there the factors predisposing people to poverty are stronger than societal provisions, then proactive measures such as the provision of education and capital can be viable ways to curb poverty. Where people are predestined to become poor because of the societies in which they grow up, the authorities should use constitutional provisions to ensure equity. The courts systems should prosecute the corrupt who increase the poor-rich divide. This move coupled with the provision of resources can foresee the tackling of poverty.
The solutions that exist in order to tackle the problem of poverty from the American point of view are reactionary. Since the constitution and the social structures equalize people, individuals should work on their individualistic or personal inadequacies. For instance, a person who lacks motivation should seek out the motivation and growth ideas from a mentor (Austin, 9). Moreover, individuals and groups can pool resources and obtain help from institutions such as banks, Non-Governmental organizations, and educational institutions in a bid to improve their economic welfare. In other words, people need to intensify their usage of the available institutions and structures to improve their economic statuses. The creation of awareness through education, followed by the equipping of those people with skills and knowledge helps them to take advantage of the available resources.
The American society is highly capitalistic and hence the controversy in the treatment of welfare programs. Many Americans believe that the constitution has provisions for equality such as the right to education, employment, association among other that should predispose one to wealth. Sociologists on the other hand state that there must a poor person in any societies. Solutions include the provision of resources such as education, capital and the enforcement of the justice to ensure that those who lack the resources to acquire wealth have equality with the rich. Personal issue such as seeking motivation and education are ways to handle poverty in light of the former idea.
Works cited
Austin, Michael Bay Area Social Services Consortium Understanding Poverty. From Multiple Social Science Perspectives. A Learning Resource for Staff Development In Social Service Agencies. 2006. Print
Jordan, Gregory. The Causes of Poverty Cultural vs. Structural: Can There Be a Synthesis? Perspectives in Public Affairs. 2004. Print
Smiley, Tavis, and Cornel West. The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto. Carlsbad, Calif: Hay House, Inc, 2012. Print
