Theories of

Poverty
Separating patterns from prejudices
 The Culture of poverty

► Anthropologist Oscar
Lewis developed
theory in 1959
► Believes that living in
poverty creates its own
culture
► This culture is learned
and shared among the
social group
Social Segregation

► Poor are a separate

part of society that
don’t use things like
banks, hospitals,
museums etc.
► Keep themselves
separate from the rest
of society
► Why would this
happen?
Lewis argues that once established, the
culture of poverty…

► Passes from generation

to generation because
of its effects on children
► By 6 or 7, children have
absorbed the values
and attitudes of their
culture
► Makes people feel like
they aren’t willing to
“fix” their own situations
instead live for the day
 Criticism*

If we accept this theory:

►We accept that personal choices won’t make a difference
►They start to believe that they are “victims”
►CYCLE of Poverty is produced in which each generation finds it
difficult to escape
►They start to feel “entitled” to be looked after by society instead
of taking personal responsibility for trying to make their situation
better
Life Experience Survey

Complete it for yourself. Do the results give you a better

understanding of what might
be a ‘ culture of poverty ‘ ?
 Effects of Classism

► Based on something
called “Deficit Theory”
► Defines people by their
weaknesses
► Poor people are poor
because of their own
moral and intellectual
deficiencies
 Effects of Classism

► Clings to unfair
stereotypes of the poor
and working class
► They are unintelligent,
inarticulate, and overly
emotional
► They don’t try hard
enough to help
themselves
 Criticisms?

If we accept this theory:

►We accept all the stereotypes about people who are
experiencing poverty
►We are ignoring any systemic conditions that might
be contributing to poverty
► i.e. Access to higher education
► We probably won’t support real antipoverty
programs *
What Class Would We Put
These People in? And Why?
1. I was in a private school before my folks broke up.
They had money when they were together. He left us
and now my mom has a job and gets some help from
my grandparents to help raise my family.

2. I was living on the street; I made a lot of money

selling drugs before I got picked up. I’m in a group
home now, but I know what I’m going to do to make
it when I get out of here. I don’t talk about it at
school.
What Class Would We Put
These People in? And Why?
3. My parents inherited some money and I have a
trust fund for college. We don’t take big vacations
or have a lot of cars or anything, but we are doing
okay.

4. When we were in grade school, my little sister and

I qualified for free lunches; but a lot of times I took
a pass because of some of the jokes that people
made.