Illustrate conservative and liberal definitions of poverty H

Illustrate conservative and liberal definitions of poverty. How do these understandings focus the way each party views poor people? And how do those understandings influence the creation of social welfare programs?

Solution

ANSWER:

The conservative approach states poverty as a result of ‘character flaws’ or ‘bad choices’. On contrary the liberal approach defines poverty as a cause of the structural forces such as globalization and ‘outsourcing,’ jobs that don’t pay living wage, income inequality, attacks on labor unions, race/ethnic/gender/class barriers, that limit poor peoples\' ability to escape poverty.

Liberals view is better appreciation on the importance of work-all work. Many liberals have targeted on the availability of “good” jobs to the exclusion of encouraging employment. Belittling the low-paid jobs as demeaning, intentionally or unintentionally spreads a message that work, in and of itself, is not significant -that only “good-paid” jobs count. Conservatives view requires a consideration on the barriers to moving from social welfare programs to work. Moving to a low-paid employment can mean providing the medical benefits for one’s children -a clear systemic work barrier.