Urban poverty is linked to a variety of complicated situations that are loaded with interrelated components. “Culture of Poverty” theories by Oscar Lewis bring about a deeper understanding of its existence. Population congestion, absence of facilities, poor economic prospects, and social isolation are among the features of slum areas that continuously feed the vicious poverty cycle. The thesis is that the members of the community develop traits and behaviors manifesting their inferior place in society. It is very important to comprehend structural inequalities, limited resources, social exclusion, the absence of institutional support, the cycle of poverty, and the reliance on an informal economy. Through this approach the policymakers will eliminate the underlying causes of inequity and also increase the chances of living in a fair environment among all residents.
The origin of urban slums can be attributed to the gaps in wealth distribution within the society. These disparities reveal themselves in multiple ways, among which there is inaccessibility to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. The residents of slums living in the cities have to cope with a lot of systemic difficulties, which make their way out of poverty a very complicated task (Mitlin, 2005). The Theory of Lewis of Poverty states that the people trapped in these conditions become depressed and take up hopelessness and resignation as a way of life, thus continuing the cycle of poverty from generation to generation (Lewis, 1966). When young people who are growing up see their parents struggling due to structural barriers in their effort to keep going, it is most unlikely that they will not adopt the same attitudes and behaviors; thus, they will be further entrenching poverty in the community. Elimination of structural inequalities would call for a well-conceived policy framework of boosting learning quality, advancement of health services and creation of sustainable job opportunities. The dismantling of systemic barriers and the advancement of social mobility by policymakers will help prevent the long-term poverty trap in the slums.
The slums within an urban area do not have the required basic resources such as clean water, sanitation units and decent housing. These constraints not only pose additional difficulties for households but also deter their initiative to uplift their habitat (Mingione, 1996). The poor culture of poverty theory gives rise to the scarcity mindset within the community. As a result of this mindset, the residents of this place make survival a priority for the short term instead of making long-term investments in entrepreneurship or education.
Similarly, the absence of the required resources leads to the people’s hopelessness and their feeling of being resigned to a future they cannot see beyond their present state. This repeats the cycle of poverty through the fact that people cannot overcome the obstacles that hard conditions set. For the resolution of limited resources in the urban slums, the investor has to direct the funds to the sector of infrastructure development, basic services accessibility, and affordable housing. Through the provision of required resources and opportunities for economic and social growth, policymakers are able to empower the residents, allowing them to have opportunities for economic and social progress, hence breaking the cycle of poverty.
Residents of the slums in cities are usually left out of society and are often victims of stigmatization by the rest of society. As a result of this discrimination, people who live in poverty become isolated and even more disadvantaged (Kabeer,1994). The theory of the Culture of Poverty highlights the fact that these social relationships provide the basis for the formation of a unique subculture within the slum communities. In this subculture, they learn to use various coping techniques and share the social norms that confirm their marginality (Desmond & Shollenberger., 2015). One example is xenophobia and leaning on traditional networks to obtain help development. It is an additional barrier that makes residents’ integration into mainstream society harder and, consequently, prolongs the poverty cycle.
Eliminating social exclusion in urban slums requires inclusivity and cohesion building. This can be implemented through community-based projects, which form a foundation of residents’ belonging and provide them with opportunities to contribute to processes of decision-making. Through a process that demolishes social barriers and links urban slum communities to the rest of society, policymakers can help reduce the impact of social exclusion and assist residents in breaking away from the poverty circle.
The governmental organizations and social welfare programs seldom reach the slum dwellers with the necessities they require to escape poverty, the impediments that these individuals experience become more difficult to overcome. The point that the Culture of Poverty theory tries to make is that the level of institutional support accounts for the continuation of poverty as people experiencing poverty live in the absence of the necessary resources and services (Soto, 2013). For many of the dwellers of the slums, good quality education, medical care, and job prospects may not readily be available. That is exactly what makes this group of people unable to improve the quality of their lives and escape poverty. Moreover, there is a case of self-dependency and resilience that has been developed in slum communities, but it has also created conditions that limit the chances of social mobility.
Achieving the required level of institutional support in the slums of urban areas calls for putting into action comprehensive policy measures that focus on improving access to basic needs and resources. These may encompass the allocation of funding for health facilities, education and economic empowerment projects that are geared towards the inhabitants of urban slums and their communities. Policymakers can act to provide residents with the necessary support so they can manage their lives successfully, and this can help them break out of the poverty cycle and create more equal opportunities for every single citizen.
Poverty in urban slums tends to continue down the generations to create a trap that is difficult to escape. This Culture of Poverty theory specifies that poor children who are living in a deprived environment tend to imitate the values and norms that keep them at the margins of society. Underprivileged children who live in urban slums may not have access to quality education and economic opportunities, thus deterring their chances of escaping from poverty (Wratten, 1995). Besides, they may be exposed to adverse influences within their communities, which are already characterized by fatalism and acceptance of lower standards of living.
This is the reason why unchecked poverty will continue to be passed down from one generation to another, and the cycle of poverty remains unbroken (Satterthwaite, 1997). This cycle can be broken by the application of target interventions that would focus on providing children in urban slums with education of good quality, health care, and opportunities to succeed economically. Through such policy actions, the authorities can break the vicious circle of poverty passing down from one generation to another and provide opportunities for the following generations to succeed.
The informal economy is often a vital job and income provider for residents of urban slums in many countries. This is certainly true regarding some level of economic activity, but it also deepens the low-wage labor and the precarious working conditions. According to the Culture of Poverty theory, a way of life-based on the informal economy develops habits and beliefs that make the residents fatalistic and reluctant to change. A good amount of people in the urban slums participate in informal employment not because they are free but because they have no choice. Informal employment may be the only option they have. Alternatively, they may come across various barriers that hinder their productivity, for instance, discrimination or lack of education (Wilson, 2012). Thus, they find themselves in the eternal trap of poverty, where they cannot change their economic situation. Tackling the issue of the informal economy in the urban slums has to be done through the creation of jobs and improved working conditions in the formal areas of employment. This might include strategies to help small businesses, offer vocational courses and encourage people to be entrepreneurs. By enabling community members to take formal employment, politicians are able to break the vicious circle of poverty and create a path to economic security.
Poverty in urban slums stems from structural inequities, limited resources, social exclusion, lack of institutional support, cyclical poverty, and reliance on the informal economy. Addressing these issues demands a comprehensive approach focusing on education, healthcare, economic development, and social inclusion. By tackling root causes, policymakers can foster equitable opportunities and build sustainable urban environments for all.
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