Despite much progress over the years toward ending poverty, the global community still faces the threat of failing to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending poverty. According to recent estimates, one in five children come from poor backgrounds (Koball et al., 2021). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes food, clothing, shelter, and adequate living standards as essential human needs (Triasari, 2021). However, low-income families, people living with disability, plus individuals with intersectional identities experience a heightened risk of poverty. A wealth of literature relates poverty to limited access to affordable care, increased job insecurity, crime, substance abuse, and other factors with adverse consequences (Cheteni et al., 2018; Desmond & Western, 2018). The advances and consequent demands on society grounded on social class and trends profoundly influence poverty levels.
Although much attention rests on ethnic and racial differences, social conditions determined by occupation and education levels significantly contribute to and sustain poverty. Karl Marx argued that society comprises three classes; capitalists, the wealthy, and wage-laborers (Milios et al., 2018). The division between the classes becomes more apparent when understanding global poverty. In Marx’s perspective, people in poverty fall under a broader working class with heightened vulnerability to poor living conditions (Milios et al., 2018). Likewise, Lareau and Rao (2020) established a correlation between social class and poverty. Consider young adults from poor backgrounds who usually have restricted independence and limited opportunities. Therefore, while people enjoy the freedom of choice over various aspects of life, the culture of poverty is driven by both social class and trends like income and gender inequality. In summary, social classes and poverty are under-recognized plus individual choices and social trends equally matter.
References
Cheteni, P., Mah, G., & Yohane, Y. K. (2018). Drug-related crime and poverty in South Africa. Cogent Economics & Finance, 6(1), pp.1-16.
Desmond, M., & Western, B. (2018). Poverty in America: New directions and debates. Annual Review of Sociology, 44(1), pp.305-18.
Koball, H., Moore, A., & Hernandez, J. (2021). Basic facts about low-income children: Children under 9 Years, 2019. National Center for Children in Poverty.
Lareau, A., & Rao, A. H. (2020). Intensive family observations: A methodological guide. Sociological Methods & Research, pp.1-54.
Milios, J., Dimoulis, D., & Economakis, G. (2018). Karl Marx and the classics: An essay on value, crises and the capitalist mode of production. Routledge.
Triasari, D. (2021). Right to Sanitation: Case Study of Indonesia. Journal of Human Rights, Culture and Legal System, 1(3).