Session 6: Causes of Poverty
Who are you? Most individuals will answer this question by disclosing their nationality (I am American), religion (I am Christian), race (I am black), and/or in honor of the current global recession you might encounter an “I am a very broke individual” answer. Infrequently, does one encounter an answer like “I am human” or “I am a citizen of the world”. This phenomenon is known as identity. Our identity is our perception of ourselves. It defines our place in the world by answering who we are and what we are. Our nationality, ethnicity, race, and religion are among the aspects that contribute the formation of our reality, they are, in other words, the core of our essence. If my identity in the eighteenth century were of a wealthy white man, then I would perceive everyone who was not like me to be inferior. Many injustices, atrocities, and years later, we are all civilized and equal! In reality, an immense amount of progress has been made and overall we conform an integrated society. However, inequality thrives and its devastating effect is corroborated by high poverty rates.
Why you believe people are poor in the United States and globally? Social Stratification is a primary cause of poverty in the United States. This theory consists of two classifications: owners of production and workers. The owners are- important industrialists and massive corporations. The workers are everyone else. “Social Stratification across status groups occurs when social groups seek to maximize their rewards by restriction others’ access to resources and opportunities.” Racial and ethnic stratification states that minorities in the United States are poorer than whites. On average, minorities have lower levels of education and employment, therefore, lower wages. Females, regardless of race, are also subject to inequality thus they usually receive lower wages. As a result, female-headed households are more likely to suffer from economic hardships. Racism and discrimination are prominent causes of poverty, which means that poverty also has a cultural dimension. In conclusion, social stratification of race and gender, level of education, and a significant increase in the number of female-headed households are the prime causes of poverty.
John Iceland - University of California Press - 2006
You are right about minorities suffering more poverty than whites/Americans. But not always is it because they have lower level of education, unfortunately a lot of them are just plain and simple, discriminated against. Before when I was searching for a job there was plenty that I was perfect for but didn't get because I'm not from this country. That doesn't mean I have poor education it just means that they only wanna hire prissy little while girls which when I looked at their staff, that was the case. And no matter how much they try to make laws about not discriminating when it comes to work, no law can prevent that. Even if you can prove it, what are you gonna do? Sue someone because they wont give you a job? Till this day females are still very discriminated against when it comes to certain jobs.
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