Theories of Poverty Essay

Therefore, there is inequality in the essence of poverty. Basic poverty involves relative deprivation of the needed necessities. A proper understanding of poverty is quite important in the control and eradication of poverty. There are theories of poverty that explain why poverty exists in society, and how individuals and other people contribute to the poverty menace in society. In an interview with Johann Quest, he talks of several theories that explain the existence of poverty in society. Self-help strategies have proved quite crucial in pulling individuals from poverty, and in successful elimination of other forms of assistance that promotes laziness and dependency on others for their survival (Whitty, 2017). A better example of such programs includes the initiative aimed at limiting the time under which an individual particularly the youth should be on family assistance, and encouraging them to properly participate in welfare work activities that encourage hard work and self-reliance among the people.

Besides, there is the theory that believes in the cause of poverty to be cultural beliefs that support poverty sub-cultures. This theory argues that there are cultures that encourage poverty based on the values, beliefs and skills that they pass to the generations in the society. The theory does not blame individuals and considers them to mere victims of their cultural beliefs and values. This belief can be counteracted through shifting much focus to the youth to change the culture and eliminate the recreation of the detrimental culture. Alternative socialization, according to Johann, successfully uses the successive generations to ensure reduction of poverty through quality and coherent programs. After school programs for the youth and current generations should be provided to properly monitor the peer culture of the youth and the establishment of positive social values.

The social values are significant in keeping the youth away from gang activities and another detrimental behaviour. Additionally, there is a theory that states that poverty is caused by social, political or economic distortions in society. Johann argues that this perspective can only be changed at three levels: the grassroots level that involves the formulation of social movements to exert more pressure on the vulnerable system parts to bring the desired changed in the society. The second level involves making changes within the institutions to ensure improved innovation, accessibility; willingness and openness in helping the poor acquire their well being (Spradley, 2016). The last level of change involves the formulation of social and federal policies to accomplish the reduction of poverty through raising revenues and wages, provision of jobs, coordination of social insurance programs, and more access to medical care.

In some instances, poverty is caused by geographical disparities such as rural poverty, urban disinvestment, and ghetto poverty. It calls on the lack of objective resources by the institutions, cultures and people to generate better income and well being, and give them the power to claim equal and equitable distribution of resources. The last theory involves the cause of poverty by cyclical and cumulative interdependencies. This theory is quite complicated and looks at both the community and the individual as those responsible for the problems and opportunities that support poverty in the society. There are individual, and community resources have created individuals with fewer resources to effectively participate in the economy of society. This has made economic survival quite hard, and the communities mostly fail to raise taxes.