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Culture of Poverty |
| Unlike Freeman, Michael Harrington describes poverty as a cultural way of life. Harrington classifies poverty into subcategories, which include the intellectual, bohemian poor; the alcoholic drifters; and the rural poor in the urban slums. The rural poor in the urban slums is the most predominant in Cincinnati, and other areas such as St. Louis and Detroit. The rural poor come to Cincinnati and other urban areas from the Appalachian Mountains. Once in an urban setting, the children are forced by law to attend school. However, once they can obtain a work permit around the age of fifteen, many drop out to work to earn money for their families in an attempt to escape poverty. To expunge poverty would require long term financial investments and a serious attitude on eliminating poverty. (1) Due to low minimum wages and high costs of living, many families cannot make ends meet, even with their children working. Because there are fewer jobs available in the United States nowadays, there is greater competition for the jobs which do exist. As a result, higher credentials are created, which include higher levels of education. Since many of the lower-income children drop out of school to earn money for their families, they do not have the appropriate diploma or G.E.D. degrees to compete in the world of employment. As a result, an unyielding cycle is created. |
1.) Harrington 82-83
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