The unequal distribution of wealth and power in the US hasresulted in a number of problems.
Studies have indicated that:
It is difficult to contemplate poverty in the US after astudy of the global distribution of wealth. However, there are different kinds of poverty.
Absolute Poverty iswhen people do not have the means to secure the most basic necessities of life.
Relative Poverty iswhen people may be able to afford basic necessities but still are unable tomaintain an average standard of living.
In the US, many of us have experienced the kind of povertythat is described in the second definition. We look around and we sense differences in the abilityindividuals have to acquire an average lifestyleÉas much as these may be due tochoices and life chances, some are related to social issues within the US.
Those who suffer from poverty the most indicate to us issuespresent in the US. Children, womenand people of color have much higher incidence of poverty than other groups.
This indicates for us that there are issues about how equalchildren, women and racial groups are.
Economic trends and issues have come to play in the creationof poverty in America as well.
Many jobs are low paying and lack the security of jobs andcareers of previous generations. Many families and individuals have more than one job.
Other structural problems that have occurred in the USinclude millions of US jobs being lost as corporations invest in creatingfacilities where the labor is cheaper.
Job Deskilling continuesto be an issue as well. JD is thereduction of skills needed to perform a job with a corresponding decrease inwages.
Considering the sociological perspectives on povertysolutions to this issue in the US are difficult to come by.
The functionalist perspective would support that there aresome positions within society that are considered more central to thefunctioning of the society and are therefore occupied by the most skilled, andhighest rewarded, citizens.
The conflict theorists would argue that those who are mostimportant in some philosophical perspectives (teachers and parents, forexample) are NOT actually the most highly rewarded. Meanwhile some, (professional athletes and actors) makeoodles of money but don't seem to be needed for society to operate.
(Although one may argue for the need for entertainment in amodern society.)
Conflict theorists also consider that those in power usetheir influence to maintain their power at the expense of others.
These individuals consider the effect that inequality has onpeople's lives. We can considerthis the "Culture of Poverty" or even the "Culture ofSocioeconomic Status".