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Poverty and Family Dysfunction
Poverty is not restricted to any one nation in the world. Rather, it is a problem that is prevalent on a world-wide scale. The ravishing affects of poverty interfere with a family's nutritional needs and the ability for parents of children to adequately provide shelter and clothing to their children. Statistics on poverty are collected by certain government agencies, like the U.S. Census Bureau (Census Bureau, found online, 2008). Families with below poverty incomes are reported by numbers in the household, and by geographic location (Census Bureau, online). This helps to establish the geographic pockets of poverty, but it does nothing to relieve those areas of the abject poverty in which many people live.
Social researchers John Dixon and David Macarov (1998) say:
Thus the first element in the analysis of poverty is to address the question of the material level which distinguishes the poor (those in poverty) from others. Sometimes the discussion stops altogether at this point. The problem of poverty (being poor) is presented as no more than a question of material resources, usually expressed in terms of cash. This is undoubtedly a necessary component, especially in those societies where most transactions are facilitated by transfers of cash for desired goods or services (Dixon and Macarov, 2)."
The dysfunction that arises from poverty involves self-esteem, domestic violence, drug and alcohol use and abuse, and child abuse (Dixon and Macarov, 130). It is a harsh reality, and one that, ultimately, costs the rest of society on a large scale. There are global initiatives to eliminate poverty, but the condition of poverty is one that is so widespread that the idea of eliminating poverty far exceeds the actual philanthropy necessary to do that.
Works Cited
http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108886531
Dixon, John, and David Macarov, eds. Poverty: A Persistent Global Reality. London: Routledge, 1998. Questia. 12 Oct. 2008 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108886533.
United States Census Bureau, found online at http://www.census.gov/,2008. Retrieved 12 Oct. 2008
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