Poverty As A Contemporary Social Problem Essay

Everyone knows what the word poverty means. It means poor, unable to buy the necessities to survive in today's world. We do not realize how easy it is for a person to fall into poverty: A lost job, a sudden illness, a death in the family or the endless cycle of being born into poverty and not knowing how to overcome it. There are so many children in poverty and a family's structure can effect the outcome. Most of the people who are at the poverty level need some type of help to overcome the obstacles. There are mane issues that deal with poverty and many things that can be done to stop it.

Using sociological imagination we can explore beyond the common assumptions that relate to poverty. The issue of poverty goes beyond just the monetary value of one’s wage. Health, education, living conditions, social status, income, and coping skills all play a role in poverty. It is not a black and white issue and thinking outside the box brings greater understanding of how poverty is indeed a social problem that affects society as a whole. If society as a whole is not providing enough individuals with a wage to meet their basic needs then this can lead to stress or other health issues.

“What is poverty? Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom” (The World Bank, 2009).

The existence of poverty is to commonly overlooked and denied by many. This is true when you or a friend have probably walked by a beggar and gave him/her nothing. You think he does drugs or you think he drinks but in reality he might have just made one mistake and there was no one there to help him back up. This chain of having no money is a factor that can destroy one’s self reputation. Poverty affects the health and education of those below the line of

Poverty is one of the most devastating realities of life. Those who live in poverty experience poor living conditions, worse health care, worse education, homelessness, low wages, lack of opportunity, and lower self-esteem. Poverty generally occurs mostly in children or young adults, minorities, and women more than any other age group, race/ ethnicity, and gender. Ultimately, poverty is more common in certain social categories such as race, gender, age, and ethnicity and will factor into whether an individual is more likely to be

Poverty is a pervasive problem throughout the world. Many people must live in harrowing and undignified conditions because they simply lack the resources to have a better life. If people worldwide can become more informed about poverty and its consequences, there is a chance its impact can be diminished and the wellbeing of those living in poverty can be improved

Poverty can affect whose who live beyond their means, and lose a job, whose who don’t want to work, or whose who do not speak the language. Poverty knows no color, age, nationality, or cares about an education.

In this paper the following things will be discussed, what is Poverty and what does it look like to our country, how Poverty is a troublesome issue in this country and world and what troublesome mean and the reasons that Poverty encourages unhealthy

In the world there are at least one billion children that are living in poverty. There is at least three billion people in the world that live on less than $2.50. (Shah, 2013) Poverty can be seen everywhere around the world. Carl and Belanger (2012) states that poverty happens when the distribution of wealth is not equally divided between all groups of people. Poverty in Canada is defined as poor quality of food, sleeping in poor quality housing, parks, or city streets, and on a daily basis it is difficult to make decisions on what is best for you and your family. Living in poverty will decrease your life span and health, and could lead to criminal offenses just to stay alive. Aboriginal people, immigrants from other countries, people

Poverty is one of the biggest problems that we currently have in today’s world. But, what is poverty? Poverty is powerlessness. It is hurt, despair and suffering. Poverty is barely living one day at a time. Poverty is not being able to have a meal or clean water every day. Poverty is not being able to attend school or acquire a simple education. Poverty is being sick and debilitated, and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is a cause of death. Poverty is a problem. Poverty is an epidemic. Poverty… is a call to action.

Many describe poverty as an economic deprivation, or lack of income. However, this alone does not incorporate the different social, cultural and political aspects of this unfortunate reality. Poverty is not only a deprivation of economic or material resources but a violation of human dignity. The general scarcity, lack, or the state of one without a specific amount of material possessions or money. It is a versatile concept that may be defined as either absolute or relative. Time and again, poverty is a call to action, for the poor and the wealthy alike, it is a call to change the world so that many more may have enough to eat, adequate shelter, access to education and health, protection from violence, and a voice in what happens in their communities.

Many individuals all over the world are affected by poverty. In order to completely understand the cause, the effect, and the solution to ending poverty, we must first understand the meaning of poverty. Poverty is the condition where an individual’s basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter are not being met (business dictionary). According to the World Bank Organization, poverty is also the lack of healthcare, education, information, and jobs. There are two general types of poverty: Absolute and Relative. Absolute poverty occurs when individuals cannot obtain adequate resources to support a minimum level of physical health. Relative poverty occurs when individuals do not

Poverty and inequality exist in every developed culture and often are only patched in order for society to continue upwardly. Poverty and inequality in the United States exists for many reasons; reasons that very from the prospective lens. Interpretive theories in particular ask us to question our reality and its constructs. Interpretive theories require us to looks at the world as a social realm, one that we created and constantly change. Interpretive theories study the relationship between power and the construction of social roles as well as the invisible collection of patterns and habits that make up domination, (Delgado & Stefanic, 2001). Susan Kemp argues that the view of the world is dominated by the experiences of white western

1 in every 3 people in the world live in poverty every day (OXFAM). This number seems to be rapidly increasing as the years go on. But in order to put a stop to this problem we need to first be aware of the causes so that we can find the solutions. Many people in the United States believe that poverty is a self-imposed problem, meaning that it comes from personal influences more than outside factors (Eitzen, 194). If this were true, which it is not, putting an end to poverty would be a lot simpler. Most people are only poor short term.

Poverty can be defined as the state of being extremely poor. These images that were captured depict what life was like living below poverty and the conditions some individuals face. I am aware of these sometimes horrific conditions people live in, especially children. We are reminded by these images that there are people who live without, without the comforts of the amenities that we sometimes take for granted, such as beds, blankets, the use of running water, and readily available food in our fridge. Even after natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, many families are unable to restore or rebuild their lives. Living in poverty before a disaster, without insurance or reserves, would make it even more difficult for someone to provide essentials after a catastrophe occurred.