Introduction
The plight of the underclass has been adversely mentioned in the readings. Majority of the authors try to pinpoint at some of the main constraints towards mobility of the underclass. The definition of the underclass is an idea that has been treated with a lot of caution by most the authors. Key issues in the arguments include segregation, poverty, racism and isolation that continue to deny the ghetto people an opportunity to better their living standards. For Mincy, poverty in the underclass can be attributed to out-migration, decline of high-wage employment and social seclusion. These issues have held the people in the ghetto behind in terms of development. His standpoint is a multidimensional approach towards addressing these problems. Mincy defines the underclass from an economical perspective; with female headed households, high dependency, school dropouts and lack of men’s contribution in the labor force.
Discussion
Massey attributes to the problems affecting the Black community to high level segregation. This segregation is depicted in housing with the black people occupying the ghetto. This is unlike the other races that occupy the middle and upper classes in the society. In this setting, the phenomenon of self reinforcing problems is depicted with characteristics such as crime, unemployment and illegitimacy featuring prominently. As for William Julius Wilson, joblessness that seems to be chronic, is at center stage in the problems of the ghetto. He mainly puts the blame on the events that took place after World War II. He therefore advocates for approaches that do not favor any color in trying to solve the problems of the underclass.
Subsidized alternatives in the event to try and help the low income earners in the society have been provided for by the Center on budget and policy priorities. This has been facilitated through the use of the voucher system in collaboration with the landlords.
Schiller critics the theories that assert that poverty is caused by cultural and racial phenomenon. He is instrumental in coming up with different arguments concerning the cause of poverty in the underclass. Paul A. Jargowsky and Isabel Sawhill on their part, take a statistical approach in defining the underclass. This is based on the census where indicators such as high school dropouts, female-headed households are characteristic.
Their study has been observed to show some progress in the underclass with reducing levels of poverty over time. Generally all the authors using their different approaches bring to light the issues affecting the underclass and the effort that has been put in place to alleviate the problems.
From the reading what comes out clearly is that all the authors allude to the fact that the issue of discrimination is still evident and is partly to blame for the problems of the underclass. All the arguments present clearly the main message or topic of discussion. They all demonstrate that the underclass in the American society is a deserving case which needs attention but this has to be undertaken with a lot of caution The arguments have also been keen in clarifying to the reader the definition of the underclass. They take different approaches and this is fundamental in helping the reader to explore different options before arriving at an all-inclusive and extensive definition of the underclass. This is crucial in understanding the specific group of people that are targeted in the argument and how they are involved in the problems in the underclass world.
The main weakness with some of the arguments is that they do not provide suggestions on what can be done to alleviate the problems. There is also agreement in majority of the authors that indeed the problem in the underclass is multifaceted and hence it requires a multi disciplinary approach towards addressing issues such as unemployment, poverty and discrimination. Unlike other authors, it is only Jargowsky and Sawhill who has recognized the fact that at least there is some progress in alleviating the problems. Other authors have been critical to the situation of the ghetto but they don’t seem to appreciate the good side of the story. It is vital to mention that although the Ghetto is full of crime, unemployment and other undesirable things, some of the best cultural aspects of life come from the ghetto. We have seen the rise of prominent artists and celebrities coming from the ghetto and black community from the underclass. It is not right for the authors to overlook some of the excellent works that have come from the underclass.
In my opinion the topic can be well tackled if all the characteristics that make the ghetto, are treated uniquely in their own nature. Some arguments tend to put the blame on the people on the people instead of finding ways of helping them. A good argument concerning the underclass should present a clear definition of the topic first. This should be followed with adequate evidence that indeed people in the ghetto suffer as alluded by the arguments. The arguments should endeavor to explore into what has been achieved so far in addressing the plight of people in the ghetto. Most of the arguments presented in the readings do not take an insight into the background in terms of the origin of the situation in the ghetto. It is as if the people found themselves in the situation and therefore they themselves do not understand where their social problems began from. Defining the topic in terms of different gender and other dimensions is quite essential in understanding the problems. The problem of poverty should be defined well in different genders. Research studies have depicted women to be poorer than men in the society.
Conclusion
All these factors need to have been put into consideration before coming up with a better definition of the underclass and the associated social problems. In analysis of the situation in the underworld before arriving at conclusions, it is important to appreciate changes that keep occurring in the society. This is because such changes are likely to alter the definition of the underclass. Improvements are likely to remove some people from the poverty bracket; hence it would have affected the perceptions of people and long reinforced stereotypes. Issues of segregation have been articulated by authors to be responsible for the problems in the ghetto. The need for restructuring of institutions with the capacity of helping people in the ghetto is a matter that needs to be looked into. However, it is not right just to dismiss the theories of poverty. After an understanding of the main causes of underdevelopment in the ghetto it is vital for efforts to be directed towards workable plans that can lead to uplifting of the standards of living of the concerned people. Leaving the people in the ghetto to struggle on their own towards addressing their fundamental problems is not an opinion that should be advocated for. The people in the underclass might be having the desire to change their standards but they do require capacity building and empowerment. This should come from government and non-governmental bodies who seriously understand the situation in the ghetto.
References
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2003). Introduction to the Housing Voucher Program. Web.
Jargowsky, P. A., & Sawhill, I. (2006). The decline of the underclass. Center on Children and Families, the Brookings Institute, Brief #36.
Mincy, R. (1994). The underclass: Concept, controversy and evidence. In S. Danziger, G. Sandefur, & D. Weinberg (eds.), Confronting Poverty: Prescription for Change. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Massey, D. (1990). American apartheid: Segregation and the making of the underclass. American Journal of Sociology, 96(2), 329-357.
Schiller, B. R. (2008). The Underclass: Culture and Race. The economics of poverty and discrimination. (pp. 155-171). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Wilson, W.J. (1996). When work disappears: The world of the new urban poor. New York: Random House.