Poverty continues to be a social problem examined from multiple perspectives to generate insight into its underlying influence on society. The utilization of broad concepts of poverty has been crucial in defining poverty. With the global concern about the issue shaping contemporary debates, developing a single definition of poverty has been challenging. However, assessing poverty from various social theories has been influential in comprehending its influence on society. The functionalist model is effective at gaining comprehensive insight into the societal structure. Through its analysis, assessment of the impact of society’s structure in the emergence and existence of poverty is bound to prevail. Hence, a thorough review of functionalist theory and its assessment of poverty should highlight the influence of the social problem in society.
Poverty as a social problem
Poverty, as per Brady (2019), is a state of financial incapability to afford essential commodities in the prevalent standard of living. Brady (2019) recognizes that vital goods are those relevant for survival, such as food, shelter, and clothing. However, Brady (2019) calls for examining the total satisfaction achieved in meeting the need to comprehend poverty. Consequently, poverty requires the relative assessment of how everyone lives to generate insight into its influence on the way of life.
Pros and cons of fixing or reducing the problem
Poverty reduction is an essential component that requires acknowledgment of the beneficial implications on people’s lives. Poverty reduction means improving living standards, which translates into enabling a platform for people to meet their basic needs (Krumer-Nevo, 2020). Poor people struggle to meet their consumption requirements and struggle or die during disasters and conflicts. Poverty reduction leads to a welfare-centric society whereby people can live humanely. However, critics of poverty reduction emphasize that disequilibrium in equity and efficiency is bound to emerge (Krumer-Nevo, 2020). For example, efforts to minimize wealth inequality lead to over-taxation of the rich, which leads to low levels of investment in society leading to unemployment and low productivity.
Benefits to the society of fixing poverty
Fixing poverty is a challenging prospect that requires people’s engagement from multiple perspectives (Krumer-Nevo, 2020). However, beneficial implications entail establishing educational programs promoting earnings and academic achievement (Brady, 2019). Further, the improvement of health outcomes and expansion of economic self-efficiency is through the empowerment of the people.
Facts about the social problem
Poverty is a global problem that affects all nations, with at least 750 million living below the poverty line. As of 2020, individuals earning less than $1.90 live below the poverty line (Ard & Smiley, 2022). In the US, a family of four should make over $26000 annually to live within the poverty threshold (Ard & Smiley, 2022). Hence, the social problem was extensive, especially during the pandemic, with the population growing by 150 million between 2020 and 2021 (Ard & Smiley, 2022).
A functional approach to analyzing poverty
Burawoy (2022) emphasizes that functionalists recognize society as a machine with a single aspect of society that is geared at performing indispensable functions. Hence, the social structure as a crucial component of the “societal machine” sets the standards for the interactive process (Kronauer, 2019). Nonetheless, any dysfunction within the society’s elements comprises deviations from the norms that require fixing. Therefore, as examples, every aspect of society, from poverty to wealth, performs a function in a holistic society (Krumer-Nevo, 2020). Situational awareness of the social structures and their implication in promoting growth or progress is vital for a functioning community.
From a shallow viewpoint, poverty can be viewed as a dysfunction. Nonetheless, factionist theorists such as Durkheim recognize that poverty and social inequality are necessary for the comprehensive functioning of society (Kronauer, 2019). The viewpoint can be comprehended thoroughly from the functionalist perspective of social stratification (Kronauer, 2019). Specifically, class stratification plays an integral role in understanding the role of poverty. Stratification is necessary for society to motivate people to enhance their skill levels to execute complex functions. The basis for the class disparities depends on the degree of advantages that a profession or occupation has on society. Examining the level of complexity that a job possesses plays an integral role in the promotion of growth and development of an individual from one class to the next (Burawoy, 2022). Therefore, in examining poverty, functionalist theorists acknowledge that social stratification, as an extension of poverty, should prevail to promote a progressive society (Kronauer, 2019). Growth and transition from one level to the next require harnessing wealth creation and acceptance of the role of poverty in self-motivation.
Steps to be undertaken from a functionalist perspective
Burawoy (2022) accepts that functionalists hold that poverty is inevitable for any society and plays an integral role in the determination of the function of a person in a community. Through this view, dealing with poverty entails accepting that social or class stratification is a component of any society. From the complex to the simple settings, poverty determines the social positions that suit the individuals. Hence, dealing with poverty requires an assessment of individual abilities and skills as the basis for its reduction. Burawoy (2022) posits that differential rewards in the forms of salaries or benefits lead to recognition of the social function that a person contributes. A society that encourages productivity at diverse levels is a practical approach that can promote growth and mitigate poverty (Krumer-Nevo, 2020). Central to the strategy is determining the acceptable levels of inequality and encouraging people to rise through the ranks in various productive settings.
Conclusion about the theory and social problem
Poverty is a social problem that is bound to influence society substantially. For functionalist theorists, poverty is a facet of the social structure. Its prevalence is due to the social stratification that shapes the distinction of people based on their skills and contribution to society. The disparity in skill and ability will continue to shape societal features and influence the prevalence of poverty.
References
Ard, K., & Smiley, K. (2022). Examining the relationship between racialized poverty segregation and hazardous industrial facilities in us over time. American Behavioral Scientist, 66(7), 974-988.
Brady, D. (2019). Theories of the Causes of Poverty. Annual Review of Sociology, 45, 155-175.
Burawoy, M. (2022). The poverty of philosophy: Marx meets Bourdieu. In Bourdieu and Marx: Practices of Critique (pp. 103-129). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Kronauer, M. (2019). ‘Social exclusion and ‘underclass’-new concepts for the analysis of poverty. In Empirical poverty research in a comparative perspective (pp. 51-76). Routledge.
Krumer-Nevo, M. (2020). Radical hope: Poverty-aware practice for social work. Policy Press.
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