An Analysis of Poverty Using the Conflict Theory

Poverty is a problem that has existed in the United States for decades. When attempting to dissect the problem of poverty in modern America to come up with reasons as to why it exists, few can agree on the origin. Those who have money and those who do not have enough money usually have different opinions as to why poverty is a problem. Both conservatives and liberals have their specific reasons for poverty in this country. While some people believe that poverty exists because of laziness and lack of motivation, others believe that a lack of resources is to blame for the existence of poverty. One of the main reasons for poverty in the United States is capitalism, and the conflict theory can be used to help explain the problem of poverty.

Poverty is a social problem that affects millions of people around the country, including children and the elderly. According to Poverty Facts, more than 46 million Americans live in poverty in this country. Before the recession, families were already struggling to make ends meet. The rising costs of living and lack of jobs mean that “more and more families have to choose between necessities like health care, child care, and even food” (Poverty Facts) Over a million children stayed in a shelter or emergency housing last year. Households who are making less than the Federal government’s official poverty threshold” are considered to be in poverty, “which for a family of four is $23,850.00” ( Poverty Facts). Those who are in poverty are from various demographics and live in inner cities, suburbs, and rural areas. It does not discriminate between those who work minimum wage, seniors, disabled people, or unemployed workers. Poverty affects the disabled in an especially hard way: “In 2012, the poverty rate for people living with a disability was 28.4%. That’s 4.3 million people living with a disability—in poverty” (Poverty Facts). Unfortunately, the problem is not improving in the United States.

An explanation of the problem of poverty involves capitalism. Capitalism divides the people into two categories: those who have capital and those who do not. In today’s society, it seems that capitalism and all its excesses dominate the way in which Americans live. It involves the view that people are money-hungry and one-dimensional, and they only want to profit everything that they can. The poor do not have economic capital, so they are seen as useless and hopeless. Capitalism is the main cause of unemployment and homelessness in the last few decades. A person’s worth is decided by how much capital they own. In the United States, capitalism causes negative effects every single day, “in companies that pollute the air, water, and soil to save money on equipment and processes that protect the environment; in deceptive marketing and advertising campaigns that promote harmful or unnecessary products” (Yunus, 2008). The ultimate result of capitalism is poverty and a society that cannot rise above it.

A sociological theory that can be used to explain capitalism as a cause for poverty is the conflict theory. “Conflict theory is especially useful in understanding: war, wealth and poverty” (Hammond, 2008). Under Karl Marx’s conflict theory, society has two classes of people: the owners and the workers. The conflict theory can be used to explain capitalism and poverty because there are power differences among social classes that are created by our capitalistic society, and the entire country is dominated by wealthy groups who gain control through competition and ultimately power. Under the conflict theory, society is in constant competition for limited resources, and those who do not have money will suffer while the rich get wealthier. Capitalism implies that those who have money have power, and those in poverty have no power. Under these bleak circumstances, it seems rather hopeless for people who currently live in poverty.

References

Hammond, Ph.D., R. J. (2008). Sociology 1010. Chapter 03. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://freebooks.uvu.edu/SOC1010/index.php/03

Poverty Facts. (n.d.). The state of poverty. Retrieved April 7, 2014, from http://www.povertyusa.org/the-state-of-poverty/poverty-facts/

Yunus, M. (2008.). Creating a world without poverty. Global Urban Development Magazine. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://www.globalurban.org/GUDMag08Vol4Iss2/Yunus.htm