Unit 7 Exercise 1: Global Stratification Theories
ITT Technical Institute-Breckinridge School of Nursing
GE291 Sociology
Trisha Delgado
2/9/2015
Culture of Poverty Culture of poverty means that impoverished countries are impoverished because their culture prevents them from experimenting. Their religion generally encourages the people of impoverished countries to accept their situation and to hope for a better life in the next life (Henslin, 2013). The theory of culture of poverty makes sense to me. I spent time in several Latin countries and from what I have experienced I would agree with the theory. The towns and villages we visited and worked in were a lot like the theory. The adults were very set in their ways, “why fix it, if it isn’t broken” type of mindset. Many would make homemade food and drinks to sell in the town center and raise just enough cattle and chickens to feed their families, they would garden what they could and barter what they couldn’t. They were afraid that if they changed anything they would go hungry and die and leave nothing for their children. The teenagers were eager to move to the cities where they could learn new technologies and have a different way of life but their parents and their religion make them stay in their town continuing with their way of life. I don’t feel like this theory is missing anything, if their culture didn’t restrict them from changing, experimenting, learning new things they may be able to change how poverty stricken their country is. This theory does not explain social classes, caste systems nor does it explain slavery. This theory places the blame on the culture itself rather than any one particular group of people. Japan becoming a powerhouse after WWII is a result of their culture not getting in the way of their goals.
Reference:
Henslin, J. (2012). Social Structure and Social Interaction. In Sociology: A down-to-earth approach : Core concepts (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
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