Poverty and Inequality EssayQuestion 1 There are two main different types of Poverty: ??? Absolute poverty is defined as the lack of sufficient resources with which to keep body and soul together.
www. bbc. co. uk??? Relative poverty defines income or resources in relation to the average. It is concerned with the absence of the material needs to participate fully in accepted daily life.
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uk Social exclusion is a new term used by the Government. The Prime Minister described social exclusion as “??¦a shorthand label for what can happen when individuals or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environments, bad health and family breakdown???.??? The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee??? Functionalists believe poverty exists because it makes a contribution to order and stability. If poverty did not make a contribution it would cease to exist. Poverty performs many functions. Some of these functions are: (a) The poor do the unskilled, dangerous, temporary, dead-end, undignified, menial work of society at low pay, (b) Affluent persons contract out at low wages many time-consuming activities such as housework, yard work, and child care, (c) The poor are medical guinea pigs of sorts (for example, they are the ones most likely to volunteer for over-the-counter and prescription drug tests), (d) Certain middle-class occupations exist to serve the poor, (e) Poor people purchase goods and services that would otherwise go unused. (MARX Theory) Conflict theory states that poverty is a side effect of the capitalist system, where those with access to resources and power exploit those who have less. The Conflict theory also states that outside forces prevent the individual or group from achieving a desired goal or certain aspect of living.
The elements that usually prevent this upward mobility from occurring are the limits that the upper classes place on certain aspects of the chain, such as education, availability, jobs, etc. Specifically, lower classes are less likely to be able to stay in school-they have to work jobs in order to support themselves and their families, thus some dont graduate. This limits vastly the job opportunities that these groups will be able to pursue. Obviously, the higher class a job is, the more education you need. The restrictions that we place on the ability for all to have an equal chance are greatly conjoined with outside sources-such as needing rent money, food, and time to obtain these resources. Basically, society sets these groups up for failure, which is what Conflict theory preaches.
This is to keep the levels of stratification where they are and to keep those who benefit the most-to keep benefitting.??? In 2005-06, 13 per cent of Scottish children (130, 000) were in Low Income and Material Deprivation www. scotland.
gov. uk??? In 2004-05, 16 per cent of Scottish children (170, 000) were in Low Income and Material Deprivation www. scotland. gov. ukQuestion 2The children I work with have been excluded from Mainstream Education and the main reasons for these exclusions, are related to poverty. This is passed down through generations and the young people today are victims of intergenerational poverty. `Children become aware of social and economic status differences at a very young age.
This normally results in the child being bullied. They also grow increasingly aware of both their own social status and that of their peers, developing class-related attitudes during their Primary Education years. They focus on internal characteristics or traits of people and people start to be judged on things relating to how they look or what area they live in. Children of poverty may live in places that rent by the week or even day. They may move from town to town as their parent searches for work or runs from problems (such as an abusive spouse, criminal record, financial responsibilities). They may live in homeless shelters or battered women??™s shelters that only allow brief stays. They may live on the streets. The conditions they live in and their day-to-day life experiences can have a significant effect on their education and achievement.
Moving is a very emotional event for children. Combine this issue with the multitude of other issues faced by mobile and homeless children and the impact on their emotional, social and cognitive development can be overwhelming. Most of the Young People live in environments with social conditions over which they have little control. It is not their choice where they live. It is not their choice that their parent may be unemployed or disabled. It was not their choice to be born into poverty. They often have the feeling they want or need to escape this environment and do better; but they feel they have no control over the nature and quality of their lives.
??? The concept of agency is that an individual can intentionally make things happen through their actions. This is an underlying concept in social learning or social cognitive theory. If we can show children that they can be agents, we can enable them to play a part in their self-development and take responsibility for their learning, personal development and achievement??? (Brophy, 1998; Bandura, 2001). School attendance is often irregular.
The peer group often moves on and leaves them behind. They then face difficulties in making friends. They may behave hostilely or be totally withdrawn due to past attempts to make friends. With regard to both the academic and social aspects of school, they may figure, ??? Why bother They also often come to school which has a previous pre conceived idea about them. It is also challenging to help these Young People to learn at least something of value while they remain in a mainstream classroom. At Rathbone, these aspects of poverty make planning and preparation absolutely critical. Content needs to be related in varying ways to meet the needs of the diverse Young People in the provision.
We have to consider the cultural values of these children as we arrange their learning. If there is limited foundation for children to draw upon, we need to help them develop by sharing life experiences from staff or positive role models who have managed to escape the realms of poverty. The life chances for our Young People are somewhat limited, and we believe that our role is to give Young People the opportunity to expect better life chances by helping them realise their true potential no matter where they come from or what they have done previous.
Functionalists believe that it is good for society that the state takes on a lot of functions of the family by providing an economic safety net for people through the benefit system, and for the physical nurturing of children through the provision of free fruit at school, free school meals, dental checks at school etc. Conflict theorists would argue that all these measures only serve to maintain the existing inequality gap. If people didn??™t have the welfare state to fall back then they might actually wake up and do something about it. Share of the 15% most deprived data zones in Scotland by local authority area, 2006 National share (%) Glasgow City33. 8 North Lanarkshire8. 6 Edinburgh, City of6. 5 South Lanarkshire5. 7 Dundee City5. 4 Fife4. 8 Inverclyde4. 3 Renfrewshire3. 7 North Ayrshire3. 4 West Dunbartonshire3. 4 East Ayrshire2. 9 Aberdeen City2. 8 Other 20 Local Authorities14. 8 www. scotland. gov. ukKey Statistics EA – HealthPremature MortalityPremature Mortality (under 75??™s) in East Ayrshire over the last 10 year period (1991-2000)??? 215 deaths due to cancer This is lower than the Scottish average, however pockets of deprivation have a higher incidence e. g Coalfield SIP area and in particular New Cumnock??? 191 deaths due to Coronary Heart Disease 12 % above the Scottish average however, again pockets of deprivation display a higher incidence East Cumnock and New Cumnock??? 50 deaths due to stroke. This is lower than Scottish average, again with the exception of the Coalfield SIP area which is higher??? 67 deaths due to respiratory diseaseThis is 15% above the Scottish average, with NW Kilmarnock and Coalfield SIP area exhibiting particularly high levelswww. east-ayrshire. gov. ukBibliographyThe house of commons social affairs committee www. bbc. co. ukwww. scotland. gov. ukwww. povertyinaction. orgwww. childreninscotland. co. ukMarxBrophy, 1998Bandura 2001www. east-ayrshire. gov. ukwww. scotland. gov. uk
