Poverty and Its Effect on Society
POVERTY AND ITS EFFECT ON SOCIETY
Poverty and its Effect on Society
Le’Quisha Davis
SOC 100 – Introduction to Sociology
Professor Lisa Riggleman-Gross
January 29, 2012
Abstract
The United States has one of the strongest economies in the world. Even in light of recent events such as the economic collapse and recession, the U.S. reported a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $47,200 per capita in 2010 (estimated). The U.S. has maintained its status as the largest and most technological country due to its market based economy (CIA-The World Fact Book). However, while the U.S. has reported such high numbers in GDP, we rank third in poverty with a 17% poverty rate. This ranking is among the top thirty of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations in the world. Only Mexico and Turkey rank higher than our country (Ranking America, Blog at WordPress.com).
Poverty and Its Effects on Society
The disease of poverty in the U.S. is not new, but it is one that has remained a constant, even as our nation grew into a world superpower. While attitudes have slowly shifted in regards to those who are considered living at and below the poverty level, the nation has yet to fully attempt to attack the problem in way that would seriously find a cure.
In 2011, the Annie E. Casey Foundation reported that one in five children, 14.7 million or 20 percent, lived below the poverty level. This number is up from 17% in 2000 (Report: Child poverty Rate Hits 20 percent in U.S. as families struggle; Christian Science Monitor). The total number of people living below the poverty level is at its highest, 46.2 million as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, which is the highest number since the Bureau began publishing its records in 1959(Total U.S. Population living below the poverty line; U.S. Census Bureau). And although some groups are affected by poverty more than others, no one, regardless of race or age, is
Poverty and its Effect on Society
Le’Quisha Davis
SOC 100 – Introduction to Sociology
Professor Lisa Riggleman-Gross
January 29, 2012
Abstract
The United States has one of the strongest economies in the world. Even in light of recent events such as the economic collapse and recession, the U.S. reported a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $47,200 per capita in 2010 (estimated). The U.S. has maintained its status as the largest and most technological country due to its market based economy (CIA-The World Fact Book). However, while the U.S. has reported such high numbers in GDP, we rank third in poverty with a 17% poverty rate. This ranking is among the top thirty of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations in the world. Only Mexico and Turkey rank higher than our country (Ranking America, Blog at WordPress.com).
Poverty and Its Effects on Society
The disease of poverty in the U.S. is not new, but it is one that has remained a constant, even as our nation grew into a world superpower. While attitudes have slowly shifted in regards to those who are considered living at and below the poverty level, the nation has yet to fully attempt to attack the problem in way that would seriously find a cure.
In 2011, the Annie E. Casey Foundation reported that one in five children, 14.7 million or 20 percent, lived below the poverty level. This number is up from 17% in 2000 (Report: Child poverty Rate Hits 20 percent in U.S. as families struggle; Christian Science Monitor). The total number of people living below the poverty level is at its highest, 46.2 million as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, which is the highest number since the Bureau began publishing its records in 1959(Total U.S. Population living below the poverty line; U.S. Census Bureau). And although some groups are affected by poverty more than others, no one, regardless of race or age, is
References: Macionis J. (2010). Sociology. New Jersey. Pearson Learning Solutions. CIA – The World Fact Book. (2010). Retrieved from:https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html Blog at WordPress.com U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Total U.S. Population living below poverty line. Retrieved from: http://www.census.gov/ National Alliance to End Homelessness Earn My Degree. (2003-2010). Value of Education. Retrieved from http://www.earnmydegree.com/online-education/learning-center/education-value.html National Institute of Health. (2012). Estimates of Funding for Various Research, Condition, and Disease Categories (RCDC). Retrieved from http://report.nih.gov/rcdc/categories/ U.S