Social Problems Reading 8
Reading 8:
• What exactly is the problem? What values and goals make it a problem? o The problem is that there are both cultural/behavioral and structural/economic causes to poverty. The cultural/behavioral approach places responsibility for poverty on the personal inadequacies of the poor, welfare in general, or the design flaws of welfare programs. The structural/economic approach places responsibility for poverty on the movement of manufacturing jobs from the cities to the suburbs and the availability of welfare.
• Is it a social problem? Do all the theories assert that the causes are social? o All of the authors that are noted in this article support that poverty negatively affects a person’s sate of being in a society, thus it is a social problem. However, not all of the theories assert that the causes are social. A few of the theories argue that the economy has a role in poverty. If the economy is strong and unemployment is low, then poverty declines. However, if the economy is weak and unemployment is high, then poverty increases as the low skill jobs seem to be eliminated before the higher skilled jobs that require a higher education.
• What are the causes of the problem? o The article states that poverty is not a single problem; it is a series of rather complex problems. There are both cultural/behavioral and structural/economic causes of poverty, which vary by sub-groups of people found amount the poor.
• What can we do about the problem, according to the author? o The economy must be kept healthy and growing in order to provide quality opportunities for low income and poor people. Many families cannot take advantage of economic opportunities without a better education or advanced job training. Many of today’s poor people, especially parents, cannot work without child care and health care aid. Some people will need extra help, encouragement, even sanctions, to make the transition to employment. Discrimination cannot be tolerated
• What exactly is the problem? What values and goals make it a problem? o The problem is that there are both cultural/behavioral and structural/economic causes to poverty. The cultural/behavioral approach places responsibility for poverty on the personal inadequacies of the poor, welfare in general, or the design flaws of welfare programs. The structural/economic approach places responsibility for poverty on the movement of manufacturing jobs from the cities to the suburbs and the availability of welfare.
• Is it a social problem? Do all the theories assert that the causes are social? o All of the authors that are noted in this article support that poverty negatively affects a person’s sate of being in a society, thus it is a social problem. However, not all of the theories assert that the causes are social. A few of the theories argue that the economy has a role in poverty. If the economy is strong and unemployment is low, then poverty declines. However, if the economy is weak and unemployment is high, then poverty increases as the low skill jobs seem to be eliminated before the higher skilled jobs that require a higher education.
• What are the causes of the problem? o The article states that poverty is not a single problem; it is a series of rather complex problems. There are both cultural/behavioral and structural/economic causes of poverty, which vary by sub-groups of people found amount the poor.
• What can we do about the problem, according to the author? o The economy must be kept healthy and growing in order to provide quality opportunities for low income and poor people. Many families cannot take advantage of economic opportunities without a better education or advanced job training. Many of today’s poor people, especially parents, cannot work without child care and health care aid. Some people will need extra help, encouragement, even sanctions, to make the transition to employment. Discrimination cannot be tolerated