What does it mean to be poor? What does it mean to describe a nation as “developing”? A lack of material wealth does not define one as deprived. A strong economy in a developed nation does not mean much when a significant percentage or a majority of the population is struggling to survive. Development usually implies an improvement in living standards such that a person has enough food, water, and clothing, a stable so

The conflict theory states that poverty is a side effect of the capitilist system, where those with access to resources and power exploit those who don’t have the same type of access to maximize their profit. This results in employers paying their employees lower wages, and giving them the least amount of benefits possible. A surplus of laborers decreases the wages that each employee receives, and if the employers make investment decisions, without regard for the employees, then they are reducing costs for themselves and hurting their employee’s salaries.

Education levels are not as high in urban areas, which means that the people who are living in these areas are not qualified for the high paying jobs. High skilled jobs are beyond the reach of those who live in areas of concentrated poverty, and those who are going for the high skilled jobs, are finding their way out of these areas of concentrated poverty. Higher standard of living also attracts immigrants, which makes it hard for people living in urban areas to find good paying jobs, because the immigrants will work for lower wages.

I know that whatever it takes to reduce the levels of poverty in our world, it will be a long, slow process. I think that if our nation sticks with it and does not give up, eventually our country will be known as the “Land of Opportunity” again. With the developing of countries, and the growth of population, there is going to be an increase in

Some topics in this essay:
Lynn McGeary, World Bank, , Upper/Middle Class-which, Americans Egendorf, Security Food, Bill Clinton, Human Services, Supplemental Security, people living, paying jobs, egendorf 1999, shein 1998 13, levels poverty, reduce poverty, katz 1989, poverty nation, conflict theory, poor mean, poverty rate, egendorf 1999 19,