![]() ![]() A rational choice theorizes that higher-income disparity is reflected in the more significant redistribution by forming the median voter’s preferences. Rational ChoiceĪs an alternative contemporary perspective, the rational choice and human behavioral aspects give another insight into the issue of poverty in the economic sector. However, such statistics made the political process more stable. This resulted in the “centrist nature of American politics” (Gans 284). The poorer population does not vote as much, which allows the rich to ignore them in terms of politics. Ultimately, the last function provided by Gans implies that the poor play a fundamental role in shaping the political process in America (283). The high costs of agriculture industrialization in the United States were covered by the poor, who were pushed off the land without compensation (Gans 283). With the lack of power, the poor can absorb the economic and political costs of societal change in America. ![]() Considering the ideology of laissez-faire as the economy’s framework, it demands disadvantaged people who are reluctant to work. Within the political functions, the poor performance, they act as allies or enemies for political groups, the symbolic constituents. Consequently, the poor create a culture that rich people want to adopt and enjoy. Moreover, the poorer strata perform several cultural functions they construct large structures of social “civilization” for society, such as the world’s most noble monuments. They perform a beneficial function for charitable funds at other levels of the social and economic hierarchy. The poor keep the social lives of the rich busy, as they promote the “social viability of noneconomic groups” (Gans 282). In addition, poverty assists upward mobility of nonpoor caused by the limited educational opportunities and being stigmatized with the low academic background, which enables better job positions for others. Therefore, the poor serve as the “permanent measuring rod” for the comparative review of statuses, specifically for the working class (Gans 281). Furthermore, Gans believes that poverty guarantees the nonpoor’s social status (281). The poor enact the rich’s fantasy life of scandal, as it is perceived that the poor are more given to unrestrained action. ![]() According to Gans, the allegedly poor are traditionally described as ineligible and “culturally deprived or pathological” (280). The sociologist identifies the separate group of deserving poor that provide an emotional outlet for society. As a result, they are perceived commonly as lazy and careless with money. They also can be punished to enforce norm legitimacy because of the lack of political and cultural power to redress the stereotypes the affluent part of the population seizes the poor. Moreover, the poor purchase the goods no one else wants due to their economic usefulness. Poverty creates jobs for professions that serve the poor or buffer the rich from the poor. ![]() The poor subsidize activities that benefit the rich that might result in higher incomes for both poor and rich however, it may not advance the poor’s position in the socioeconomic society. First, the poverty presence in society contributes to dirty work implementation, which makes many economic activities rely on the poorer part of the population. To emphasize the basic functions of poverty, Gans identifies functions for groups and aggregates with common values or akin statuses (276). The presence of poverty might have a beneficial impact on the nonpoor groups in the United States. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |