The Structural Functionalist Perspective On Poverty

Even though having the â€Å"poor class† is a necessary evil needed for society to function, most Americans, at some point in time, will experience what it is like to live in poverty or live below the poverty line. One main reason for having a high percentage of people living in poverty is because the U.S. policy makers have ignored the poor and have given tax breaks to those with a much higher income. Funding for welfare was slashed and extended unemployment benefits were ended. With little success with the economic reform the United States has been going through for the past five years, about 14.5 percent of Americans are still living under the poverty line. The structural-functionalist perspective states that â€Å"poverty results from institutional breakdown† (Mooney et al. 176). People in today’s society do not have the skills or education needed for employment. The majority of those living in poverty are people who are willing to do the â€Å"dirty work† than those not living in poverty. It can be assumed that those living in low income homes are the one who are going to do the hard labor such as being a maid, gardener, janitor, etc., when it comes to being in the workforce. They are the people that are willing to do these jobs just to make ends meet. Many living in poverty are also single parents. â€Å"A third of all families headed by a single woman were in poverty last year† (Gongloff). Another issue is the unequal pay in the workplace today. There are many factors that come in toShow MoreRelatedCronic Hunger Essay866 Words   |  4 Pagesassociated with poverty and economic inequality. There are thre e main theoretical perspectives in sociology, structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. 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