Introduction
Poverty is one of the global social problems of our time, existing even in the countries of the first world despite the generally high standard of living of people. That is why the problem of poverty is so insidious in the US because most people live well-to-do lives and can afford to ignore or deny the need to address this problem. Fortunately, the trend in recent decades has been to shape fact-based policies to cater to the most marginalized segments of the population (Desmond and Western 305). The state is constantly in contact with academia and the media in order to take into account the latest data on the state of social problems. Adopting a scientific, science- and evidence-based approach to the issue of poverty will help solve it since the proposed method will allow the development of a flexible framework for addressing poverty as an issue caused by an amalgamation of factors.
Data on the Poverty Issue
The state needs to collect data on the structure of poverty in the United States, as they provide information on the socioeconomic, racial, and gender profile of the problem. This allows the developing of more targeted and high-quality social support programs. In the United States, historical poverty disparities are extremely pronounced, which only worsened during the coronavirus pandemic (Khattar, Rose, et al.). Therefore, there are strong reasons to assume that poverty is a nationwide issue that needs to be handled on socioeconomic, sociopolitical, sociocultural, financial, and technological levels.
Social, Economic, and Political Influences on Poverty
Similarly to other statewide concerns, poverty is not a one-note issue. Instead, it represents an outcome of a combination of influences exerted on the economic, political, cultural, financial, and technological levels (Desmond and Western 309). Specifically, social contributors, such as the presence of a social support network that ensures the provision of employment opportunities for vulnerable community members, affect the levels of poverty within a specific area to a notable degree (Desmond and Western 309). Similarly, social issues such as prejudice have a tangible effect on the probability of poverty becoming a reality within a community (Desmond and Western 311). Therefore, the impact of social factors is not to be underrated when examining the phenomenon of poverty. Similarly, the political environment determines the likelihood of poverty rates increasing (Khattar et al.). For example, the availability of federal grants, as well as the extent of diversity within a community, are defined by the political trends, thus, shaping the level of poverty (Khattar et al.). Finally, economic concerns, such as employment options, exchange rate, and entrepreneurship opportunities, shape the risk of poverty significantly (Khattar et al.). Therefore, addressing the issue of poverty requires eliminating the combination of political, economic, and sociocultural factors that contribute to poverty increase.
Policy Options Aimed at Poverty
In order to address the problem of poverty, changes to the current socioeconomic situation must be made, which has to start with alterations within the political framework. Specifically, policies aimed at introducing additional opportunities for vulnerable groups, as well as developing a strong support system, are required. Afterward, changes within the current economic framework, allowing for a drop in unemployment rates and an increase in employment opportunities, must be implemented. Specifically, small and medium entrepreneurship must be encouraged within the areas affected by poverty. Finally, enforcement of social justice principles that will reduce discrimination against vulnerable minorities must be made. Additionally, technological opportunities for ensuring better cooperation between citizens and state authorities must be integrated.
Conclusion
By incorporating a combination of sociocultural, economic, political, and technological changes into the target setting, one will be able to alleviate poverty. While eradicating it completely from American society does not seem possible currently, further efforts must be made to minimize it. As a result, opportunities for reducing it to zero will be located, and premises for building society where poverty will no longer be an issue will be created.
Works Cited
Desmond, Matthew, and Bruce Western. “Poverty in America: New Directions and Debates.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 44, 2018, pp. 305-318. Web.
Khattar, Rose, et al. “Data on Poverty in the United States,” 2022. Center for American Progress, Web.