Poverty as a Social Issue (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Flashcards

False.

Townsend concluded that poverty was a widespread and structural issue, affecting groups such as elderly people, children in low-income families and households headed by unskilled manual workers.

Critics argued that Townsend's indicators were culturally biased, e.g. not eating meat might be a lifestyle or religious choice, not a sign of deprivation.

A cycle of deprivation is when poverty passes from one generation to the next, e.g. childhood poverty leads to poor education, then low-paid work in adulthood.

Cultural deprivation means missing social experiences that aid success, such as trips, books or parental encouragement.

Functionalists argue that some working-class families fail to socialise their children effectively into the norms and values needed for success.

Marxists argue that capitalism creates and maintains the cycle because it needs a reserve army of cheap labour, so only structural change can break it.

Feminists argue that single mothers face a higher risk of poverty because of the gender pay gap, childcare costs and part-time employment.

Poverty is relatively high among older people, disabled people, minority ethnic groups, women and families with children, especially lone-parent families.

False.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2024) found that poverty rates remain high despite economic growth, which shows that poverty is a structural issue.

Working-class people face low pay, unemployment and job insecurity, and generally perform less well in education, so poverty can affect them even when in work.

Marxists argue that low wages for the working class reflect capitalist exploitation.

A reserve army of labour is a pool of workers that capitalism uses when needed and discards in downturns, which Marxists argue keeps wages low.

Functionalists argue that low-paid jobs motivate people to strive for higher rewards, although critics argue that this view justifies inequality.

Minority ethnic groups face discrimination and racism in the labour market and over-representation in low-paid, insecure work; for some, language barriers reduce take-up of benefits.

Weberian theorists argue that ethnic minorities face status inequality, experiencing prejudice that limits life chances.

False.

The gender pay gap remains despite equality legislation, which is one reason why women are more likely than men to experience poverty.

Patriarchy is men's dominance in society and work, which feminists argue causes women's economic disadvantage.

Disabled people face additional costs such as transport, care and medical expenses.

False.

Poverty among disabled people often stems from social and structural inequality, such as discrimination and inaccessibility in workplaces.

Pensioners who rent or rely only on state pensions are most at risk of poverty.

Poverty in later life is linked to gender because older women live longer but have smaller pensions, due to career breaks and lower pay earlier in life.

Marxists argue that capitalist societies see older people as economically redundant once they retire, which reduces their status and income.

Social exclusion is when individuals or groups are denied full participation in social, economic, political and cultural life.

Unemployment can lead to social exclusion because it can mean no disposable income for social activities, low status, isolation and stress or mental health problems.

False.

Social exclusion goes beyond financial poverty; it also includes isolation, stigma and lack of access to resources such as education, work, healthcare and housing.

Social inclusion refers to efforts to ensure that everyone can participate equally in society.

Ethnic minorities are more likely to experience social exclusion because they may face racism and institutional discrimination, language barriers and unequal access to housing, education and employment.

Moral panics and negative media portrayals of immigrants and asylum seekers increase prejudice and fear.

Disabled people face both physical and attitudinal barriers to inclusion.

The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and the Equality Act (2010) require reasonable adjustments, such as ramps and accessible toilets.

False.

Despite these laws, discrimination and stigma persist, especially against people with mental health conditions.

Escaping poverty also requires access to opportunity and inclusion.

The culture of poverty is Oscar Lewis's (1966) idea that poor people develop their own subculture to adapt to hardship, with values such as fatalism, dependency and lack of ambition.

Critics argue that the culture of poverty blames the poor rather than addressing the structural causes of inequality.

Murray claimed that a welfare-dependent underclass had developed, with values that reject hard work and responsibility.

Murray argued that cutting benefits would encourage self-reliance.

False.

Marxists and Social Democrats argue that Murray's view stigmatises the poor and ignores structural inequalities such as unemployment and discrimination.

Globalisation is the growing interconnection of countries through trade, communication, technology, migration and culture.

Global recessions such as the 2008 financial crisis led to job losses, redundancies and wage stagnation while living costs rose.

False.

Globalisation can create wealth and opportunities, but it can also widen inequality, both between and within countries.

Sklair argues that globalisation has created a powerful global elite, a small group of wealthy business leaders who influence global decisions.

Multinational corporations are often more powerful than governments, so they can move operations wherever labour is cheapest.

A zero-hours contract is a work contract that gives no guaranteed weekly income.

Globalisation has seen permanent, full-time jobs replaced by temporary or part-time work, often on low wages.

Globalisation has left former industrial towns with limited job opportunities and rising poverty, as many factories have closed as production shifted overseas to cheaper labour.

The cost of living crisis resulted from disrupted global supply chains after COVID-19 lockdowns, rising energy and fuel prices due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and inflation from high global demand.

False.

Rising global prices made essentials unaffordable on low incomes, pushing many families into poverty even when they worked full-time.

Marxists argue that globalisation creates a reserve army of labour, with workers worldwide competing for the lowest wages.

Functionalists argue that globalisation spreads technology, skills and jobs and improves living standards over time, although rapid change can cause temporary disruption.

The New Right argues that individuals should adapt to global labour markets by upskilling and working flexibly.