Inequality And Underclass Analysis

With the rise in concern for both poverty and inequality, along with subsequent ploy measures implemented in recent years, there has also been greater attention given to the issue of the underclass, or similar concepts describing a specific group perceived to be at the bottom of society. While there is substantial commentary on the underclass from various perspectives, it is important to consider its significance not just as a concept in itself, but also in terms of its relation to more traditional ideas of the poor. Namely, there are some key similarities and differences between the two in that while both the poor and the underclass are similar in terms of access to resources, there are contrasting ways in which membership is determined for …show more content…
In the traditional model of the underclass by Murray, the underclass are defined in having specific values and behaviors separate from those of mainstream ‘respectable’ society. This includes mothers having illegitimate children due to not valuing marriage, high unemployment in young working-age men resulting from a lack of a tradition encouraging honest work, and high rates of criminal activity (Murray, 1996, p. 26). In associating these characteristics with a perceived social group, Murray and other supporters of the concept are arguing there is an underclass with a deviant culture preventing their assimilation into wider society that is also passed on intergenerationally, further driving the view of these traits as being intrinsic to the individual. It is in this way that the underclass are defined according to their morality, with their values being attributed purely to themselves with no recognition of external or structural factors. Meanwhile, although the poor may also be demonized by some, they are generally not nearly as strongly associated with ideas of a specific moral character. Instead, they may be considered more neutral in being viewed as individuals with mainstream values, but who just have less access to …show more content…
With the poor, because their state of poverty is not necessarily attributed to individual characteristics, they are more often to be seen as deserving of welfare because being poor is not something they can help. In contrast, the underclass are unlikely to inspire support for such policies because they are viewed as having an intrinsically deviant moral nature, along with the common rhetoric of ‘sponging off’ benefits. Similarly, “observers will have difficulty identifying with the plight of a group whom they (mistakenly) think are simply reaping what they have sown” (Loury, 2004, p. 82). As a result, this perceived distinction between the poor and the underclass does have a substantial effect on public support for egalitarian policy measures benefiting those in poverty or suffering the impact of