Explanations for the existence of poverty

New Right: 👤 Murray (1984) attributes poverty to a dysfunctional underclass characterised by crime, lone parenthood, and unwillingness to work. Welfare creates dependency and perverse incentives.
- Criticised for stereotyping and ignoring structural inequalities.
Culture of poverty (👤 Lewis, 1966) Poverty sustained by a subculture of fatalism and immediate gratification passed through generations.
- Blames victims and underplays external constraints.
Relative deprivation: (👤 Townsend, 1979) poverty results from lack of resources needed to participate in normal society due to structural factors and government inaction.
- More applicable to developed societies but still contested.
Marxist: 👤 Marx (1848) stated that poverty is an inevitable outcome of capitalism, created by exploitation, low wages, and unemployment.
- Overlooks cases of reduced poverty within capitalist welfare states.
Situational factors: (👤 Weber, 1905) life events such as redundancy, illness, or family breakdown can push people into poverty, creating cycles of hardship.
- Recognises fluidity but less focus on structural causes

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