Page 273 - Essencials of Sociology

246 CHAPTER 8 Social Class in the United States

Contrary to the stereotype of lazy people who contentedly sit back sucking welfare,
FIGURE 8.11 poverty is dynamic. First, we should note that many people live on the edge of poverty.

How Long Does They manage to keep their heads above poverty, although barely, but then comes some
dramatic life change such as a divorce, an accident, an illness, or the loss of a job. The
Poverty Last?
poverty trigger propels them over the edge they were holding onto, and they find them-
Up to Up to selves in the poverty they fiercely had been trying to avoid (Western et al. 2012).
3 years 4 years Five years Second, most poverty is short-lived, lasting less than a year. As Figure 8.11 shows,
or more only 12 percent of poverty lasts five years or longer. Yet from one year to the next, the
2 years 5% number of poor people remains about the same. This means that the people who move
8%
12% out of poverty are replaced by people who move into poverty. Most of these newly poor
17% will also move out of poverty within a year. Some people even bounce back and forth,
never quite making it securely out of poverty.
Few poor people enjoy poverty—and they do what they can to avoid being poor.
59%
One year or less In the end, though, poverty touches a lot more people than the official totals indicate.
Although 15 percent of Americans may be poor at any one time, for those under age 30,
40 percent will be poor in the next ten years (Western et al. 2012). Before they turn 65,
Source: Gottschalk et al. 1994:89. about half of the U.S. population will experience poverty (Cellini et al. 2008).
Why Are People Poor?

Two explanations for poverty compete for our attention. The first, which sociologists
prefer, focuses on social structure. Sociologists stress that features of society deny some
people access to education or training in job skills. They emphasize racial–ethnic, age,
and gender discrimination, as well as changes in the job market—fewer unskilled jobs,
businesses closing, and manufacturing jobs moving overseas. In short, some people find
their escape route from poverty blocked.
A competing explanation focuses on the characteristics of individuals. Sociologists
reject explanations such as laziness and lack of intelligence, viewing these as worthless
stereotypes. Individualistic explanations that sociologists reluctantly acknowledge include
dropping out of school and bearing children in the teen years. Most sociologists are
reluctant to speak of such factors in this context, since they appear to blame the victim,
something that sociologists bend over backward not to do.
A third explanation is the poverty triggers that were just mentioned, the unexpected
events in life that push people into poverty.
What do you think causes poverty? Your view is important because it not only affects
your perception but also has practical consequences. To see why, read the following
Thinking Critically section.

THINKING CRITICALLY

The Welfare Debate: The Deserving and the

Undeserving Poor

hroughout U.S. history, Americans have divided the poor into two types: the
deserving and the undeserving. The deserving poor are people who are thought
Tto be poor through no fault of their own. Most of the working poor, such as the
Lewises, are considered deserving:
Nancy and Ted Lewis are in their early 30s and have two children. Ted works three part-
time jobs, earning $15,000 a year; Nancy takes care of the children and house and is not
employed. To make ends meet, the Lewises rely on food stamps, Medicaid, and Section 8
(a federal housing subsidy).
The undeserving poor stand in sharp contrast. They are viewed as bringing poverty
on themselves. They are considered freeloaders who waste their lives in laziness and