Poverty and Discrimination
The economic poverty measure has been used to measure poverty among Americans. According to this standard, the poor are those who cannot afford the basic necessities of life. They include the old as well as young people with no employment. These people depend on members of their families and the social support systems. The elderly that are poor possibly did not save during their work period due to one reason or the other. For others, their color and race were the major reasons why they remained poor for the rest of their lives. This kind of poverty is restricted to certain regions where people of color reside.
There is an unavoidable injustice towards provision of education to children from poor backgrounds. Under such an environment, it becomes difficult for those involved in social policy development. According to Rodgers (2015), there is a direct relationship between poverty and discrimination in the US. Unfortunately, all sectors of the society tend to look down upon people of color. The poor are made to feel as though they belong to a different category of human beings. They are often suspected to be involved in crimes that happen in the country. Just like it is a common occurrence in the US, South Africans are divided in various social classes. The rich have their own first class facilities that the poor are not allowed to use. Majority of the poor reside in poor residential estates that lack adequate facilities.
Social policies are guidelines that aim to ensure human beings lead a comfortable life. Each country has their mechanisms that define social policies. Examples of social policies in the US are temporary assistance for needy families, food benefits and section 8 housing assistance (Murray, 2015). The policies have been very efficient in handling community problems since they were introduced in the country. A large number of the population that lived in abject poverty can now afford a smile on the faces.
References
Murray, C. (2015). Losing ground: American social policy, 1950-1980. Basic books.
Rodgers, H. R. (2015). American poverty in a new era of reform. Routledge..
