Outline For Poverty Research Paper

The Causes of Poverty
SOC 100 – Introduction to Sociology
February 18, 2014

I. Introduction Plus the Thesis Statement
a. A description of poverty statistics in the world
b. Efforts that have been made towards correcting the problem
c. A description of how poverty levels differ between different countries due to the efficacy of anti-poverty measures adopted by them (Andersen & Taylor, 2008)
d. Thesis: The persistent levels of poverty and reduced social mobility are the result of unfair policies and situational factors such as a lack of access to quality education and social stratification.
II. Body Paragraph One: Unfair Policies
a. Poverty as the result of capitalism
b. The treadmill of consumption
c. Low wages (Phillips, 2012) are
artificially created and maintained by the rich and powerful
III. Body Paragraph Two: Lack of Access to Quality Education
a. A Lack of Access to Quality Education
b. Relation between quality education and access to higher levels in social hierarchy
c. How social stratification limits individual opportunities and perpetuates inequality (Lin & Harris, 2008)
IV.
Body Paragraph Three: Rich create entry barrier for others
a. Rich people use their influence to create artificial entry barriers for poor people
b. It is not personal failing, but structural failing which is hindering talented individuals from lower strata of society
V. Body Paragraph Four: Counter Arguments (Poverty is due to personal failing)
a. Poverty as the result of personal failing
b. Poverty is the result of laziness and portrays inadequacy, especially within a capitalistic system
c. But it ignores structural barriers such as dynasties and monopolistic business measures
VI. Body Paragraph Four: Counter Arguments (Poverty is inevitable)
a. Poverty is required for structural stability of a larger system
b. If this is true, why anti-poverty measures in some countries such as Scandinavian nations are more successful than others in alleviating poverty
VII. Conclusion
a. A restatement of the thesis: The persistent levels of poverty and reduced social mobility are the result of unfair policies and situational factors such as a lack of access to quality education and social stratification.
b. An explanation of how policies and situational factors lead to poverty, as opposed to internal factors or
laziness.

References
Andersen, M. L., & Taylor, H. F. (2008). Sociology: Understanding a diverse society. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Lin, A. C., & Harris, D. R. (2008). The colors of poverty: Why racial and ethnic disparities persist. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Phillips, D. (2012). Quality of life: Concept, policy and practice. Routledge.