Poverty and Affluence Poverty and Affluence in Canadain Canada

What is poverty?What is poverty?With a partner, list words that come to With a partner, list words that come to mind when you hear the word mind when you hear the word “Poverty” “Poverty”

Minds-on

Thinking question…Thinking question…Think about poverty in your Think about poverty in your immediate community and within your immediate community and within your town/city. Do we have people living in town/city. Do we have people living in poverty? How do we know?poverty? How do we know?

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Poverty can be described as a Poverty can be described as a person’s inability to access the person’s inability to access the basic needs for survival.basic needs for survival.

Defining PovertyDefining PovertyLow-income cut-off line (LICO)Low-income cut-off line (LICO): :

The The ““poverty linepoverty line”” – lacking a – lacking a socially acceptable amount of socially acceptable amount of money or material possessionsmoney or material possessions

2013- ONT – $23, 298 2013- ONT – $23, 298 before taxes per perbefore taxes per per

Karl Marx – the first Karl Marx – the first sociologist to study sociologist to study inequalitiesinequalities in in societysociety

Income Income InequalitiesInequalities – the – the gapgap between what between what the rich and the the rich and the poor earnpoor earn

Structural-FunctionalismStructural-Functionalism Because inequalities exist in all Because inequalities exist in all

societies, it must be an societies, it must be an inherent inherent part of human structurespart of human structures

Regard inequalities as a Regard inequalities as a characteristic of society that they characteristic of society that they should try to should try to understandunderstand rather rather than eliminatethan eliminate

Public policy questionsPublic policy questions – significant – significant questions about questions about social problemssocial problems that that politicians and social agencies are politicians and social agencies are obligedobliged to discuss & come up with to discuss & come up with possible possible solutionssolutions

i.e.i.e. Does society have an Does society have an obligationobligation to to help poorer people via support programs help poorer people via support programs (daycare, free medical prescriptions, etc.)?(daycare, free medical prescriptions, etc.)?

i.e.i.e. Does providing such Does providing such social programs social programs reduce the desire for reduce the desire for self helpself help??

StatisticsStatisticsIn Canada, there are drastic In Canada, there are drastic income income

inequalitiesinequalities based on based on gendergender and and racerace Two parent families - highest incomesTwo parent families - highest incomes Single mothers - lowest incomes (45% live in Single mothers - lowest incomes (45% live in

poverty)poverty) Uneducated single mothers – 90% live in Uneducated single mothers – 90% live in

povertypoverty Visible minorities have lower average incomes Visible minorities have lower average incomes

than the rest of societythan the rest of societyWhy does this imbalance in income Why does this imbalance in income

distribution exist?distribution exist?

Key QuestionsKey QuestionsDoes society have an obligation to Does society have an obligation to individuals/families in poverty – to individuals/families in poverty – to

introduce introduce social change/programssocial change/programs to assist those in need?to assist those in need?

OR…OR…

Should this be a matter for the Should this be a matter for the individuals/ families themselves to individuals/ families themselves to

deal with?deal with?

Welfare in OntarioWelfare in Ontario Easiest Easiest short-term tool short-term tool for raising for raising

income level of the poor = $income level of the poor = $ Money required for survival Money required for survival Some people unable to earn money for Some people unable to earn money for

various reasonsvarious reasons- i.e.- i.e. severely disabled, mentally ill, severely disabled, mentally ill, woman with children who has left an woman with children who has left an abusive husband, single parent abusive husband, single parent attending school, etc.attending school, etc.

Problems with WelfareProblems with Welfare

How much do you give? To whom? How much do you give? To whom?

DisincentivesDisincentives: Discourages some : Discourages some recipients from finding employmentrecipients from finding employment

Functional RepercussionsFunctional Repercussions: Logical : Logical outcome of outcome of ““highhigh”” payments – people payments – people receiving welfare didnreceiving welfare didn’’t feel a t feel a needneed to to look for work look for work

Competing PerspectivesCompeting PerspectivesDoes welfare Does welfare

discouragediscourage people people from looking for from looking for work? Or, is it a work? Or, is it a

mythmyth put forward by put forward by people unfamiliar people unfamiliar with the with the realityreality of of life on welfare?life on welfare?

Class WorkClass Work Read the Read the two articles two articles on on

page 88-89 in the textbookpage 88-89 in the textbook

Answer questions 1-4 on Answer questions 1-4 on the bottom of pagethe bottom of page

What are some What are some alternatives to alternatives to

welfare?welfare?