What are some theories on the subculture of poverty?

Question

To which Theoretical Paradigm or model of society does this theory belong? Is it a biological or psychological theory? If so, which sub-category does it fit?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I think it's a little of both biological (born into poverty) & psychological (knowing no other way to live).

The underlying causes of poverty are a controversial, politicized issue. Those with right wing views may consider that poverty results from personal choices or preferences, the breakdown of "traditional values", lack of birth control, and over-interference by government. They may also look to structural factors that prevent economic growth, such as poorly protected property rights, lacking credit system, crime, and corruption.

Those with more left wing views typically see poverty as the result of many systemic factors unrelated to personal choices or preferences. For instance, they consider that poverty is caused by lack of opportunity (particularly in education), and that it is often the lack of government intervention which results in more poverty. They tend to believe that alleviating poverty is a matter of social justice and that it is the responsibility of the wealthy to help those in need.

The condition in itself is not always considered negatively, even if this is the prevalent interpretation within a given society: some cultural or religious groups consider poverty an ideal condition in which to live, for an example; a condition necessary in order to reach certain spiritual or intellectual states. Poverty in this sense is understood as the lack of material possessions.

It is not easy for men to rise whose qualities are thwarted by poverty. Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.
- Aristotle
The poor and the affluent are not communicating because they do not have the same words. When we talk of the millions who are culturally deprived, we refer not to those who do not have access to good libraries and bookstores, or to museums and centers for the performing arts, but those deprived of the words with which everything else is built, the words that opens doors. Children without words are licked before they start. The legion of the young wordless in urban and rural slums, eight to ten years old, do not know the meaning of hundreds of words which most middle-class people assume to be familiar to much younger children. Most of them have never seen their parents read a book or a magazine, or heard words used in other than rudimentary ways related to physical needs and functions. Thus is cultural fallout caused, the vicious circle of ignorance and poverty reinforced and perpetuated. Children deprived of words become school dropouts; dropouts deprived of hope behave delinquently. Amateur censors blame delinquency on reading immoral books and magazines, when in fact, the inability to read anything is the basic trouble.
-Peter S. Jennison

Source(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty
http://www.reason.com/0603/fe.th.why.sht…

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

This was the best answer for me because of its wide variety of information. It also had quotes and names of the different contributors. I used a lot of the information from this for my paper. Thanks and may God Bless!

Answer 2

The circumstances of poverty make it difficult to escape.

(Education is an escape but the poor can't afford education)

Answer 3

I suspect that members of this subgroup are members because they have no money. I could be wrong, but it makes sense to me.

Answer 4

I suggest an awesome book on the topic:
_A Framework to Understanding Poverty_ by Ruby K. Payne. It is a very easy read and discusses in depth ideas on your question's topic.