Theories of Poverty Flashcards

A Community Action Agency is developing a new program to address long-term, multi-generational poverty in a specific neighborhood. The program planners are operating under the assumption that poverty persists because of certain values, behaviors, and beliefs that are passed down from one generation to the next. Which theory of poverty does this approach most align with?

Answer: Culture of Poverty Theory

The 'Culture of Poverty' theory, most famously articulated by Oscar Lewis, suggests that poverty is perpetuated by a subculture with its own distinct values and behaviors that are passed down through generations, hindering upward mobility. This aligns with the program's focus on intergenerational transmission of certain values and beliefs.

A case manager at a Community Action Agency is working with a client who recently lost their job due to a factory closure. The client has a strong work history and skills but lives in an area with few other large employers. The case manager advocates for local economic development initiatives and job retraining programs. This approach reflects an understanding of poverty based on which theoretical framework?

Answer: The Structural Theory

The Structural Theory of poverty attributes the causes of poverty to broader societal and economic systems rather than individual failings. In this scenario, the client's poverty is a result of a structural issue (factory closure, lack of local jobs), and the proposed solutions (economic development, retraining) aim to fix these systemic problems.

Which of the following interventions would be most consistent with the 'Individual Deficiency' theory of poverty?

Answer: Offering workshops on financial literacy and personal responsibility.

The Individual Deficiency theory posits that poverty results from the personal failings, poor choices, or lack of skills of the individual. Therefore, an intervention based on this theory would focus on 'fixing' the individual, such as through workshops on financial literacy and personal responsibility, to overcome these perceived shortcomings.

A family has been receiving services from a Community Action Agency for three generations. The children have limited access to quality education, the parents struggle with underemployment, and the family lives in an area with inadequate public services. This persistent state of disadvantage, where one problem reinforces another across generations, is best described by what concept?

Answer: The Cycle of Poverty

The Cycle of Poverty, also known as generational poverty, describes a phenomenon where a family remains in poverty for at least two generations. It is a self-perpetuating pattern where interconnected factors like limited access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities trap families in poverty.

A Community Action Agency director is preparing a presentation for the board. They want to argue that poverty in their service area is not random but is concentrated in specific rural counties and urban neighborhoods that lack investment, infrastructure, and access to jobs and quality schools. Which theory of poverty best supports this argument?

Answer: Geographical Disparities Theory

The theory of Geographical Disparities explains poverty in terms of place-based disadvantages. It focuses on how factors like rural isolation, urban disinvestment, and regional economic decline create and perpetuate poverty by limiting opportunities for residents of those specific areas.

The 'blaming-the-system' approach is a core tenet of which major theory of poverty?

Answer: Structural Theory

The Structural Theory is often referred to as a 'blaming-the-system' approach because it identifies the root causes of poverty within the economic, political, and social structures of society, rather than in the behaviors or characteristics of individuals. It focuses on issues like discrimination, lack of opportunity, and failures in the job market.