Explanation of Poverty: “Public Issues”
Victim thesis.
Structural disadvantages.
Ascribed status.
Left wing collectivism
Explanation of Poverty: “Personal Troubles”
Personal culpability thesis.
Deserving vs undeserving poor.
Achieved status.
Right wing individualism.
What are some causes of poverty?
Skills and abilities Wages Cost of living Addictions Education Health - Mental health Privilege Poor money management Race and ethnicity Criminal justice system Divorce Crisis
Social Inequality
the unequal distribution of valued resources, rewards and positions in a society
Social Stratification
Institutionalized system of social inequality. Divisions and relationships of social inequality have solidified into a system that determines who gets what, when, and why.
Market Basket Measure (MBM)
The disposable income a family would need to be able to purchase a basket of good that includes food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and other basic needs. The dollar value of the MBM varies by family size and composition, as well as community size and location.
Low Income Cut-Off (LICO)
Income level below which a family would devote at least 20 percentage points more of their income to food, clothing, and shelter than an average family would. Varies by family size and community size.
What is Low-Income Measure (LIM)?
1/2 of the median family income. A person whose income is below that level is said to be in low income, LIM is adjusted for family size.
How does poverty affect us all?
spend more money than we need to due to the consequences of poverty: health, low-paid employment, crime rates, physical/mental health, unemployment
Why should we reduce poverty?
High rate of crime impairs economic progress, and poverty produces crime & social problems that effect people across the socioeconomic ladder
What is the poverty line?
Calc. of multiplying the cost of a very minimal diet x3 (1/3 of income spent on food)
Social patterns of poverty?
- majority of poor americans = white
- highest rate of poverty in African Americans & latinos
- women more likely to be in poverty
Impacts of Poverty: Food Securtiy
- 4 million people in Canada experience food insecurity.
- 1 in 8 Canadian households struggles to put food on the table.
- 8 out of 10 provinces saw an increase in food bank usage in 2016.
- Food bank usage across Canada is 3% higher than in 2015 and 28% higher than it was in 2008.
Impacts of Poverty: Health
- men in the wealthiest 20% of neighbourhoods in Canada live on average more than four years longer than men in the poorest 20% of neighbourhoods.
- Food insecure households were 80% more likely to report having diabetes, 60% more likely to report high blood pressure, and 70% more likely to report food allergies.
-1 in 10 Canadians cannot afford to fill their medical prescriptions. Canada is the only industrialized country with a universal healthcare system but without a national pharmacare policy.
Impacts of Poverty: Housing
- 3 million Canadian households are precariously housed (living in unaffordable, below standards, and/or overcrowded housing conditions).
- Three-quarters of Yukon’s population live in Whitehorse - average price of housing increased 80% over six years.
- number of homeless individuals living with a disability or mental illness as high as 45%
- Youth aged 16-24 20% of the homeless population
- spending $10 on housing and support for high-need chronically homeless individuals resulted in almost $22 of savings related to health care, social supports, housing, and the justice system.
Impacts of Poverty: Housing
- 3 million Canadian households are precariously housed (living in unaffordable, below standards, and/or overcrowded housing conditions).
- Three-quarters of Yukon’s population live in Whitehorse where the average price of housing increased 80% over six years.
- Estimates place the number of homeless individuals living with a disability or mental illness as high as 45% of the overall homeless population.
- Youth aged 16-24 make up about 20% of the homeless population
- According to new research, spending $10 on housing and support for high-need chronically homeless individuals resulted in almost $22 of savings related to health care, social supports, housing, and the justice system.
Explanations of poverty: Individualistic
personal troubles personal culpability thesis deserving vs undeserving poor achieved status right wing individualism
Explanations of poverty: Structural
public issues structural disadvantages ascribed status victim thesis left-wing collectivism
Poverty Demographics in Canada
More likely to be in poverty if: disabled (mentally or physically), single mother, Indigenous, senior, child
How does Economic Performance explain the lack of working poor?
the expectation is: economic growth = low unemployment = low poverty
- economic growth, unemployment, & manufacturing employment do not affect poverty
- as economy rises, employment goes up
Unified Theory
Strong labour institution ensures higher wages including for the lower paid.
Unionization reduces the likelihood that employed are poor
Sectors of The Economy
Primary: extraction and production of raw materials
Secondary: convert raw materials to finished goods
Tertiary: service provision
Quaternary: production of ideas
Dependence Theory
- Global stratification allows rich nations to exploit poor nations
- Poor nations never got the chance for economic growth because they colonized by European nations.
World System Theory: Core Nations
High income Industrialized Control global markets Have skilled labour force Need labour and resources from other nations
