UNIT 8: THE FACE OF GOVERNMENT WHAT SHOULD THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT BE?

UNIT 8: THE FACE OF GOVERNMENT

WHAT SHOULD THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT BE?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES• SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT PLAY A

ROLE IN ADDRESSING POVERTY?• Who are the poor in the U.S.?• Why are some people poor?• Should the government address

poverty?– What did the government do in the 1960s– Did it work?

U.S. POVERTY RATEU.S. POVERTY RATE• 2008 – 13.2% (or 39.8 Million)

• 2009 - 14.3% (or 43.6 Million)

• 2010 – 15.1% (or 46.2 Million)• Poverty levels in America– http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/

storysupplement/census_poverty_map/index.html?iid=EL

WHO ARE THE POOR?

• GENDER– THE FEMINIZATION OF POVERTY:

• LOWER PAYING JOBS• TEENAGE PREGNANCY• DIVORCE AND SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS• “INVISIBLE CEALING”

• AGE– IN 1998, 18.9% OF ALL CHILDREN WERE POOR – 16.2% (2000)

• RACE AND ETHNICITY– 18.9 MILLION WHITES ARE POOR, COMPARED TO 8

MILLION AFRICAN AMERICANS, BUT...– IN 2000, 24.9% OF ALL AFRICAN AMERICANS AND

22.6% OF ALL LATINOS LIVED IN POVERTY

IS POVERTY MORE PRONOUNCED AMONG CERTAINCATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR POPULATION?

WHO ARE THE POOR?

• EMPLOYMENT– IN 2000, 44.5% OF THE POOR HAD AT LEAST ONE

FULL-TIME WORKER IN THE FAMILY

– UNEMPOYED

• 8.1% (Or 12.7 M)

• EDUCATION

• RESIDENCE (RURAL VS URBAN)

• INCOME– HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD ONE EARN

TO BE CONSIDERED POOR?

IS POVERTY MORE PRONOUNCED AMONG CERTAINCATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR POPULATION?

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© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Table 9-3: Who are the Poor in the United States?

Source: Data for 2009, as reported by the Bureau of the Census; DeNavas-Walt et al. 2010:15.

WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE RICH WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE RICH WHILE OTHERS ARE POOR?WHILE OTHERS ARE POOR?

• DEBATING THE CAUSES OF POVERTY.

• OSCAR LEWIS (Culture of Poverty)

• WILLIAM WILSON (Social Structures)

WHY POVERTY?• OSCAR LEWIS – CULTURE OF

POVERTY• SUBCULTURE OF POVERTY

INHIBITS PERSONAL ACHIVEMENTS, FOSTERS RESIGNATION

• LACK OF INITIATIVES, DRUG USE• POOR SOCIALIZATION• WELFARE SYSTEM AND CULTURE

OF POVERTY

EXPLAINING POVERTYEXPLAINING POVERTY

• CULTURE OF POVERTY THEORY– THOSE WHO ARE POOR SIMPLY ELECT TO

BE POOR. THEY REFUSE TO APPLY THEMSELVES AND ONLY HAVE THEMSELVES TO BLAME.

– SOCIETY OFFERS CONSIDERABLE OPPORTUNITY TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL GAIN.

• ANY REAL LIFE EXAMPLES? EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT OSCAR LEWIS?

BASICALLY, ONE HAS TWO CHOICES:

WHY POVERTY?• WILLIAM JULIUS WILSON – SOCIAL

STRUCTURES (SYSTEM)

• Existing social structures (Discrimination, Banks, Housing, Schools)

• Loss of jobs (unemployment)

• harsh working environment

• working poor

• high cost of living

• EVIDENCE? EXAMPLES?

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT?• SHOULD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLAY

A ROLE IN ADDRESSING POVERTY?• NO

The government should not be involved in people’s livesEncroachment of individual freedoms

• YESThe government has a role in providing greater equality in

its citizensThis is moral justice

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© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

GOVERNMENT IN THE 1960s█ Lyndon Johnson’s achievements:

Consumer protectionSocial securityWorkplace protectionAid to higher educationEnvironmental protectionHousing actRent supplementsFood subsidies (AFDC)Medical assistance (Medicaid, Medicare)

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GOVERNMENT IN THE 1960s█Effects of Lyndon Johnson’s actions:

1959 – 40% of population 65+ considered poor1970 – 25%1974 – 16%

█Overall population:1959 – 21%1969 – 12%

█Poverty in America today– 2008 – 13.2% (or 39.8 Million)

– 2009 - 14.3% (or 43.6 Million)

– 2010 – 15.1% (or 46.2 Million)

Slide 14

© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Figure 9-4: Poverty in Selected Countries

Note: Data are averages for mid-2000s, as reported in 2009. Poverty threshold is 50 percent of a nation’s median household income.

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 2009a.

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© 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

WHY DOES POVERTY PERSIST?- Racial inequality and segregation- Structural problems (banks, schools, racism, banks refuse

to give mortgages to some people)- Banks charging higher fees/ interests/ requiring higher

down payments from certain people. Lack of capital to purchase homes

- Housing segregation- Lack of capital to purchase homes- Poor education (poor and inferior schools_ - loss of faith in

usefulness of education to get people out of poverty- Unemployment - Underemployment- Does someone benefit from poverty?