Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• HABER, ALAN

Titel

THE AMERICAN UNDERCLASS

Erscheinungsjahr

1967

Quelle

ERIC

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• THIS ANALYSIS OF POVERTY IS PREDICATED ON THE VIEW THAT AMERICA IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SOCIAL CLASSES, THE AFFLUENT AND THE UNDERCLASS. THE "SUSTAINING CONDITIONS" WHICH RESTRICT SOCIAL MOBILITY FOR THE UNDERCLASS ARE (1) PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POOR, (2) THE EFFECTS OF PREVIOUS DEPRIVATIONS, AND (3) SUCH "INTERGENERATIONAL" BARRIERS AS RACE AND LIFE "STYLE" DISCRIMINATION, EXPLOITATION, DEFICIENT COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AND A STRUCTURED, INSTITUTIONALIZED DEPENDENCY. THE POLITICS OF POVERTY, IN WHICH GROUPS PURSUE DIVERSE GOALS OUT OF SELF-INTEREST, IS ALSO A FACTOR IN MAINTAINING AN UNDERCLASS. OPPOSITION TO THE ELIMINATION OF POVERTY MAY COME FROM (1) LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS WHO ARE EITHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT "OPPRESSORS OF THE POOR," (2) MAJOR ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS, AND (3) NATIONAL POLITICAL GROUPS. THE BARRIERS WITHIN THE UNDERCLASS WHICH IMPEDE ANTIPOVERTY EFFORTS INCLUDE A LACK OF CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS, A DIFFUSION OF DEMANDS, THE ABSENCE OF A POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, FEAR OF INTIMIDATION, INADEQUATE ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND RESOURCES, THE LIMITED COMMITMENT OF ALLIES, AND EFFORTS BY THE POWER STRUCTURE TO "CO-OPT" MILITANT MOVEMENTS. HOWEVER THERE ARE SOME SIGNS THAT THE POOR MIGHT IN FACT BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE A "REAL" ANTIPOVERTY WAR. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED IN "PHRA," VOLUME 2, NUMBER 3, P.5-19, MAY-JUNE 1967. (NH)