Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The phrase culture of poverty was coined by Oscar Lewis (1965) to describe the combination of factors that perpetuate patterns of inequality and poverty in society. By focusing on the experiences of Puerto Ricans, Lewis illustrated how difficult it was for people to escape poverty due to the influence of cultural beliefs that support behaviors that contribute to people remaining in poverty. He described how the poor feel alienated in society. Because of their frustrations with their inability to transcend poverty, a culture develops which supports behaviors providing short-term gratification and other conditions of poverty as “normal.” This is largely due to the conviction that it is impossible to improve their lives. These beliefs and behaviors are then instilled from one generation to the next, which eventually develops into a culture of poverty. This concept has been used as a rationale to both increase and decrease government support for the poor, ranging from individuals within the US to debates about developing nations and the amount of aid they “deserve” from industrialized nations. A liberal approach utilizes this theory as a means to examine the structural impediments that create barriers for people to move out of poverty. These include absence of jobs, poor transportation, and limited access to adequate education and health care. Conservative interpretations of poverty ... log in or subscribe to read full text