Understanding Poverty in America- Individual Choices vs. Structural Challenges

Understanding Poverty in America- Individual Choices vs. Structural Challenges

The high cost of living has many people living in poverty or close to poverty. The expenses that people must afford to acquire services and products and daily basic needs contribute to the increase in poverty in a society (Davis & Wainwright, 2005). Consistently, poverty is the inability to sustain the basic needs for the standard of living. Rich nations, as well as developing nations, have a prevalence of poverty because of various factors that contribute to poverty, and thus, it is essential to analyze and elaborate on poverty, especially using the individualist and structural views.

Poverty can be explained using the individualist view. The individualist view positions that poverty results from an unmotivated individual who does strive but relies on ideologies that ensure they remain in poverty (Payne, 2020). Accordingly, based on this view, poverty stems from individuals in society who do not work hard enough to rid their society of poverty. Therefore, individuals are considered the root cause of poverty in a society by the individualist view.

Further, poverty can be explained using the structural view. The structural view positions that poverty originates from societal problems that limit opportunities, thus poverty (Payne, 2020). Accordingly, based on this view, poverty results from social setbacks or problems that limit individual potential. Consistently, this view makes more sense to me because the individual is not to blame for poverty, but societal problems are the cause, particularly due to social stratification.

Many people believe in the individualist view on poverty, including the majority of Americans. This belief stems from the lifestyles people in poverty lead. Crimes surround their lives, and many people assume that criminal activities lead to easy and quick cash that does not require them to be motivated for income from legal activities.

 References

Davis, A., & Wainwright, S. (2005). Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion: Implications for Social Work Education. Social Work Education, 24(3), 259-273. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470500050453

Payne, W. (2020). Human Behavior and the Social Environment II. The University of Arkansas.

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In explaining poverty in the United States, which individualist or structural view makes more sense to you?

Understanding Poverty in America- Individual Choices vs. Structural Challenges

Why? Why do you think the majority of Americans assume poor people lack the motivation to work?