Poverty is about Lack of Participation, not just Lack of Income - Essay Example

Poverty is about lack of participation, not just lack of income By Introduction The following discussion attempts to prove that poverty is about lack of participation and not income as many people have for a long time believed. In discussing this concept, the paper focuses on poverty and social exclusion with respect to Britain. The topic is analyzed in relation to implications for social work place with specific focus on modern social policy in Britain, frameworks, concepts, and languages of social policy and their effective applications, theoretical and ideological perspectives on social policy, and the contemporary debates on issues pertaining citizenship, oppression, inequality, and discrimination. In addition, the discussion attempts to evaluate the relationship between contemporary social policy perspective and implications for social work practice especially in appropriate scenarios. Poverty is defined in this paper as the insufficiency in financial resources to meet basic needs. The paper also identifies the fact that social exclusion in the contemporary world is a wider concept than the traditional concept of poverty. Thesis Statement Overview Over the last few decades United Kingdom has experienced tremendous growth in major sectors of her economy. Precisely, United Kingdom’s prosperity has been experienced over the last two decades (Alcock, 2006). Considerable economic success within the United Kingdom, which has been so far achieved, is reflected in increased affluence opportunities not only for British people but also for citizens from other countries. In terms of average income per citizen, United Kingdom boasts of being amongst the top ten countries in the world. Nonetheless, behind such remarkable economic success, United Kingdom still experiences high rate of poverty (Orton and Rowlingston, 2007). Despite being linked to lack of income, it is evident that even in economies with higher per capita income there is still high prevalence of poverty. As a result, many sociologists and economists have contributed this aspect to lack of participation (Hills, 2004). Undeniably, UK has higher per capita income yet experiences high poverty rates. In this regards, poverty is about lack of participation and not just lack of income despite the latter having a part to play in contributing to the social problem. Modern Social Policy in Britain Social policy is a noble term that describes activities, intentions, and proposals that governments make in a bid to enhance the living standards of its people. For instance, UK government through its budget, activities, and intentions ensures that there are good schools, better healthcare services, better housing, as well as engaging in uplifting the personal needs of every citizen (Hills and Stewart, 2005). United Kingdom’s social policy is measured through the expenditure incurred by the government in providing better educational facilities, healthcare services, housing, and the living standards of citizens as a whole. Some of the modern social policies in Britain include social security, health, housing, education, welfare, and children. On the other hand, Britain developed an economic social policy that aims at reducing disparities in income amongst the citizens (Hills, Grand and Piachaud, 2002). The main intention of the modern economic policy in Britain has been to reduce the poverty level so far experienced. Unfortunately, there has been overreliance on outdated industry, which has continuously caused the worsening of poverty. Amazingly, there has been insufficient involvement of not only private sectors but also individual citizens in innovating and inventing better industries. The insufficiency in participation has resulted into many people within Britain to continue experiencing lack of sufficient financial resources to meet basic needs. It is this lack of enough financial resources to meet basic needs that amounts to poverty (Alcock, 2006). Britain, despite its struggle to reform major parts of its economy has received very minimal participation from private sectors as well as the individual citizens. Undeniably, such citizens believe that it is the function and responsibility of the government to provide adequate and effective social services. Lack of such involvement and participation has exerted so much pressure on the government leading to collapse of most of its objectives (Pantazis et al. 2006). Consequently, the citizens have continually suffered in poverty despite the country being ranked amongst the top ten in terms of per capita income. In this perspective, social exclusion of citizens either by themselves or unfavorable governmental activities, rules, and regulations have caused increased poverty (Hills, 2004). Therefore, it is not offensive to claim that increased poverty in the Britain has been due to social exclusion of the private sector as well as individuals hence little or no participation. In this regard, poverty has been caused by lack of participation and not insufficiency in income. Frameworks, Concepts, and Language of Social Policy Frameworks, concepts, and languages of social policy in Britain have contributed largely to the increased lack of participation amongst the private sector as well as the individual citizens (Alcock, 2006). Britain’s framework and concepts so far developed in ensuring that there are adequate and efficient social services or amenities required by the citizens has been significantly flawed by many factors amongst them being the impact of current global financial crisis. Flawed frameworks and concepts of providing social services or amenities within the nation has been a causal factor to social exclusion. One of the mostly affected economical sectors with aspects of exclusion is labor market. Britain’s labor market has experienced significant social exclusion given the flawed frameworks and concepts of social policy (Hills and Stewart, 2005). Labor market social exclusion considerably reduces participation of both individuals and private organizations in creating wealth for a given economy in question. Britain is one such economy whose wealth creation significantly dropped following massive social exclusion in the labor market as a result of flawed frameworks and concepts of social policy (Hills, 2004). Evidently, approximately 43% of adults in Britain do not have paid work or while out of every 3 persons, 1 lives in a household that has no paid job or work. From this perspective, it should be noted that labor exclusion is an important risk factors for both service as well as other aspects of social exclusions such as social relations. Non-participation in wealth creation within Britain as a result of social exclusion in the labor market has significantly caused increased poverty within the economy (Darton and Strelitz, 2003). Therefore, poverty in Britain can be associated with reduced participation and not necessarily lack of income as many sociologists and economists have so far proposed. Theoretical and Ideological Perspectives on Social Policy In a bid to attaining objectives of social policy, Britain has attempted to apply different forms of theories and ideologies. Some of the theories and ideologies so far applied in attaining objectives of social policy include liberalism, socialism, post-Fordism, post-modernism, Marxism, and capitalism amongst others (Lister, 2004). Like many other economies in the global perspective, Britain heavily relied on the theory and ideology of capitalism where few individuals within an economy control major components or resources of production. Some of the ideologies that explain capitalism include classical liberalism, modern liberalism, social democracy, and neo-liberalism amongst others (Bradshaw et al, 2008). Britain extensively applies the concept of social democracy in enhancing provision of social amenities through well-developed social policy. From this perspective, it is clear that there is freedom of choice amongst the various players within the economy hence providing vistas or opportunities for some aspect of social exclusion. Despite attempts to involve every private sector as well as the citizens, Britain has suffered serious drawbacks from the aspects of capitalism and its related ideologies. Theories and ideologies that Britain has employed so far does not favor full private sector and individual participation in the creation of wealth. Even after attempts to practice the ideologies of socialism, Britain found it incongruent to the various forms of social policies that it wishes to achieve or attain (Alcock, 2006). Consequently, there has be increased social exclusion of citizens and other private sectors due to the theories and ideologies of social policy that Britain has contemporarily adopted in a bid to solving some of the social problems. Such social exclusions within the economy have caused non-participation in the creation of wealth. Non-participation of citizens and private sector in creation of wealth is a causal factor to increasing poverty despite the high ranking in terms of per capita income (Hills, Grand and Piachaud, 2002). Britain continues to experience increasing poverty due to social exclusion, which has so far led to non-participation of wealth that creates resources in enabling every citizen to obtain the necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, education, and healthcare (Hills and Stewart, 2005). Poverty within Britain is not necessarily due to lack of income but lack of participation in wealth creation. Contemporary debates on Citizenship, Oppression, Inequality, and Discrimination Contemporary debates continue to spur mixed reactions on different aspects of social life with Britain. Amongst the concepts that have drawn mixed reactions within such debates include citizenship, oppression, inequality, and discrimination. Sociologists believe that with the increasing foreigners, British are finding it difficult to own their economy hence engage in wealth creation (Alcock, 2006). Citizenship is a patriotic aspect of individuals especially with respect to economic development and prosperity. It is clear that lack of citizenship in Britain resulting from the increased invasion by foreigners has played a great role in continued high rates of poverty. What’s more, many people especially those belonging to the minority complain of increased oppression that prevents them from participating in wealth creation in the economy (Darton and Strelitz, 2003). Social exclusions in Britain have also been linked to inequality and discrimination especially on the basis of ethnicity, race, and social class. Since the inception of capitalism, there has been division of British economy into the poor and rich creating so much entanglement in line of engagement or involvement in wealth creation. Consequently, there have been increased non-participations amongst specific group of individuals due to social exclusion arising from concepts of citizenship, oppression, inequality, and discrimination. According to Bradshaw et al (2008), social exclusion is not only visible and effective within service areas but also within social relations. When social relations of a given economy or society is affected then there is likely to be reduced participation of individuals in both wealth creation and economic development. Poverty associated with social exclusion has been given more weight that poverty arising from lack of income. In any case, lack of income can easily be eliminated through participation in wealth creation hence obtaining the required income level (Hills, 2004). From this perspective, increased poverty in Britain is associated with lack of participation and not just insufficiency of income as many people strongly believe. Social Policy Approaches In a bid to solving the problems associated with social exclusion and specifically poverty, Britain has adopted different social policy approaches that will involve participation of private sectors as well as individuals. There is no doubt that such attempts have made Britain to become a highly polarized nation that contains stark social and economic divisions (Hills, Grand and Piachaud, 2002). Britain is engaging in reducing the polarization, which has been the route cause of poverty that has so far led to social decay within the society. What’s more, Britain has developed better and effective social policy approaches that will make it become an inclusive society where everybody has a stake and opportunity in participating in nation building. Despite being at social crossroads, Britain is convinced of adopting effective measures to stop as well as help in reversing the damaging structural trend currently attributed to increased social exclusion, which has caused increasing poverty rates (Bradshaw et al, 2008). Amongst the many social policy approaches that Britain is currently focused on is the construction of scientific consensus to improve various aspects of the economy with respect to social exclusion and poverty such as measurement, explaining the severity as well as the cause of such social problems (MacGregor, 2003). The right policies have so far been identified coupled with engaging the public and private services in order to have the best social policy approaches. This is the only way through which Britain can reduce social exclusion thereby reducing the increasing poverty within the economy. Contemporary Social Policy versus Implications for Social Work Practice Determination to involve both public and private services in coming up with admissible and effective social policy approaches has enable Britain to reduce the polarization that has so far existed. With increased classical polarization, individuals and private sectors have been locked out in social work practice hence causing further social problems such as poverty (Darton and Strelitz, 2003). Classical social policy within Britain encouraged discrimination, oppression, and inequality hence increasing social exclusion that is a causal factor in increasing poverty. Nonetheless, with the introduction of new social policies in the contemporary economy, many individuals and private sectors are being encouraged to take part in social practice. Involvement in social work practice has been a boost to reducing non-participation of individuals and private sectors (Bradshaw et al, 2008). Consequently, with increased participation in wealth creation and economic development, Britain is now seeing light at the end of the tunnel with rates of poverty contemporarily going down. Therefore, there is a positive correlation between contemporary social policy and social work practice. Conclusion Whilst applying the concept and analysis of Britain and its social exclusion, it is clear that other than income being a causal factor in increasing poverty, the latter has also been attributed to non-participation. It is on this basis that contemporary social policy approaches are being implemented in order to encourage social inclusion hence participation in wealth creation, economic growth, and development as well. Contemporary social policies have identified the lack of social inclusion amidst the classical social policies in order to enhance participation thus reducing the levels of poverty considerably. Bibliography Alcock, P., 2006, Understanding Poverty, 3rd edition, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke and New York Bradshaw, J., Middleton, S., Davis, A., Oldfield, N., Smith, N., Cusworth, L. and Williams, J., 2008, A Minimum Income Standard for Britain: What people think, York Publishing Services Ltd. for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York. Darton, D. and Strelitz, J. (eds.), 2003, Tackling UK Poverty and Disadvantage in the Twenty-first Century, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/1859350909.pdf Hills, J., 2004, Inequality and the State, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Hills, J. and Stewart, K. (eds.), 2005, A More Equal Society? New Labour, poverty, inequality and exclusion, The Policy Press, Bristol. Hills, J., Le Grand, J. and Piachaud, D. (eds.), 2002, Understanding Social Exclusion, Oxford University Press, Oxford Lister, R., 2004, Poverty, Polity Press, Cambridge MacGregor, S., 2003, ‘Social exclusion’ in N. Ellison and C. Pierson (eds.) (2003) Developments in British Social Policy, 2nd Edition, Macmillan, Basingstoke. Orton, M. and Rowlingston, 2007, Public Attitudes to Economic Inequality, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York. Pantazis, C. et al. 2006, Poverty and Social Exclusion in Britain: The millennium survey, The Policy Press, Bristol Read More