What is Poverty?

When you have studied this

PowerPoint, you should
understand some of the basic
ideas and language that are used
in the study of poverty.

Neil Reardon, Brynteg Comprehensive School, Bridgend

Is poverty a new concept?
What does this historical
image tell us about poverty?
Is this poverty?
Why do we need to make
poverty history?

http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/
ABSOLUTE POVERTY

If you live in absolute poverty

you have none of these basic
things for living.
 Explaining Poverty

Reason Ideas for and against

The government
should provide
help for poor
people
The structure of
society is unfair
and unequal

Some people
have a culture
that keeps them
poor

People find it
difficult to
escape poverty
 RELATIVE POVERTY: TOWNSEND STUDY

• Peter Townsend said

that people who do not
have what other people
take for granted are
poor.

• Look at the list he drew

up. Do you agree with
all of the points?
 RELATIVE POVERTY: TOWNSEND STUDY
• No holiday way from home in the last 12 months.
• No relative or friend to visit for a meal in the last month.
• Has not had a friend to play, or for tea, in the last month (under
15).
• Did not have a party on last birthday (children).
• Has not had an afternoon or evening out for entertainment in the
last two weeks.
• Does not have fresh meat at least 4 times a week.
• Has had one or more days in the last two weeks without a hot
meal.
• Has not had a cooked breakfast most days of the week.
• Household does not have a fridge.
• Household does not normally have a Sunday dinner.
• Household does not have: a flushing toilet, sink or washbasin
with cold water, a fixed bath or shower and a cooker.
What age groups fall into poverty?
 What are the reasons for poverty?
• It is the fault of individuals because
they have a different set of
cultural values.
• Immediate Gratification, when
people want pleasures now and do
not work for the future
• Fatalism, when people think, ‘what
will be’ and assume they cannot
escape from a bad situation
• Poor people do not have a good
work ethic and expect bad jobs
• Poor people are the victims of the
unequal distribution of wealth.
• The poor do not have enough
education to deal with money
problems.
• Some people who live in poverty
come from harsh backgrounds
(domestic violence).
• Many people do not possess the
skills to get out of poverty.
 Poverty and Education

Why might poor children find it difficult to do well in

school?
 The Cycle of Deprivation
Large families
Born poor
Family break up

Bad nourishment
Early parenthood

Bad area to live in

How true is
Ill health
this picture
Unemployment of why
people are
poor? Misses school

Criminal record

Few qualifications
Criminality for money

Low paid, difficult work

 The underclass is the group at
the bottom of society
Teenage girls get
Benefits encourage
pregnant for houses
people to depend on the
and benefit
state rather than get
jobs because it is easier
for them

Charles Murray says poor people form an underclass and are a threat to society.
What do you think?

The norms and values of the Lone mothers are bad

underclass are a disease
that threaten society Young men are
involved in crime and
do not work for their
families.
parents and allow boys
to be criminal. They are
bad role models
 They do not earn as much as
men. They do not have pensions

Women do not have Women and Poverty They are more likely
access to the money “The Feminisation of to be lone mothers
in the home. When Poverty”. and therefore poor.
relationships break
up, they lose out

It is difficult to get jobs when

you provide care for children
and relatives

What do you think about these ideas? What evidence is there to

support them?
 Poverty Test.
2. Name three groups of people who may find
themselves in poverty.

3. Clearly explain two reasons (use sociological words

if possible) why women find themselves in poverty.

4. Clearly explain two reasons why it is difficult for

some of the lower class to get out of poverty.

5. What does the term “cycle of deprivation” mean?

6. Which age group fell the most into poverty by the year 2000?
7. Which is the only age group that seems to be decreasing in terms of the amount of
people affected by poverty?
 Poverty Test.

8. Explain the meaning of the term cultural poverty.

9. Who is to blame for poverty according to structural

ideas about poverty?

10. Explain underclass theory and assess its

usefulness
 Essay style question
Discuss reasons why some social groups are more likely to find themselves in
poverty.

You must make references to at least two different social groups.

Do your own personal research and develop your ideas with reference to studies
and to research.

Remember the two assessment objectives of

• Knowledge and understanding

• Analysis and evaluation

The end