Assignment Example on Poverty as Either a Structural or Individual Problem

There are opposing economic viewpoints on poverty. Schools of thought view poverty as either an individual or a structural problem. Poverty as an individual problem is a view that people in this bracket are uneducated, ignorant, lazy, or inferior in some manner (Stilwell, 2019). Therefore, poverty as an individual problem causes frustrations, anxiety, and depression followed by the behaviors of alcoholism and substance abuse because it lowers the personal level of welfare and coping. Such individuals suffer from financial difficulties, homelessness, limited access to education and health care among other factors. On the other hand, left-wing critics argue that poverty is a structural problem facing nations across the world. According to this school of thought, people are in poverty due to inefficient and effective economic systems that deliver inadequate income. With this note, neoclassical theories stipulate that people fall within the poverty gap because of reasons beyond their control such as market failures that hinder the poor access to credit, barriers to education and employment, poor health infrastructure, and immigrant status (Harles, 2017).

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The dominant ideological perspective about poverty or generally social inequality in Canada is that every individual has an equal chance at success. In other words, poverty is an individual problem in the country. Canadians policymakers believe in the equality of opportunity in that the citizens have the same chance of pursuing social and economic rewards (Harles, 2017). The Canadian government implemented the poverty reduction strategy aimed at promoting opportunity for all and has been unsuccessful in poverty eradication. The Canadian government should work on structural obstacles that hinder equal opportunity for all.

What would happen if the Wealth in Canada were distributed so all adults had the same amount? Analysts suggest that it would be back in the hands of the same people who have it today. What arguments support this hypothesis and what arguments refute it?

The hypothetical scenario of equal wealth distribution among all adults would lead to a loss of incentives. It would kill innovation and creativity because after all, people would get rewards even when they contributed nothing in the creation of wealth. Therefore, analysts are right in suggesting that the wealth would go back to the same people who have it today. It also means that those who were poor would end up poor again. When it comes to wealth creation, education is very important. In particular, financial education and proper execution are essential in wealth creation. Therefore, since a majority of the poor lack financial literacy and wealth management skills, they would commit mistakes and acquire liabilities due to lack of proper savings or investment plans (Stilwell, 2019). On the other hand, those who were wealthy would continue to provide products and services generating more wealth.

Discuss the consequences of racial and ethnic inequality, and explain why racism is a social problem for everyone in Canada.

Racial and ethnic inequality leads to bias in public policy measures that favor certain groups while negatively affecting others. Racial and ethnic inequality is a strong proponent for discrimination in terms of access to employment, education, health, infrastructure, and housing, particularly for minorities. The minorities such as Aboriginals, black, and Asian communities find themselves engraved in poverty while the majority of White Canadians have better living standards. Racial and ethnic inequality has become a social problem in Canadian society. Bias persists in the Canadian workplaces in which White people are 35% more likely to get a callback as opposed to minorities irrespective of the education, work experience and language proficiency (Harles, 2017). Similarly, there exists disparities exist in the health care sector with the Aboriginal communities suffering from high cases of diabetes, hypertension, and stroke than Canadian whites. The lack of an inclusive Canadian society due to racial and ethnic inequalities has also contributed to the increased rate of crimes. Minority communities such as blacks and Aboriginals are more likely to be arrested due to criminal activities as compared to other Canadians due to disparities in wealth and income distribution as a result of racism. Racism has led to increasing statistics of hate crimes in Canadian society leading to concerns about racial and ethnic diversity. Therefore, it is a duty for every Canadian to promote an inclusive society and fight the social problem of racism.

What role does the media have in solving the social problem of harassment?

The media plays an important role in disseminating information to the general public. Harassment is a social problem across the globe. It comes in various forms such as workplace harassment, sexual harassment, cyberbullying, sexual abuse, gender harassment etc. Harassment undermines the values of progressive societies and is a backward social problem that should be eradicated. Mainstream media such as radio, TV, and print have a role in influencing how society understands and approaches social problems. Dominant media can influence individuals regardless of their personal experiences or stance by sharing and educating the masses about the negative consequences of harassment (Thomson & McCann, 2009). Harassment in any form can lead to low self-worth, substance abuse, emotional and physical harm, and even death. Therefore, the media can play a significant role in policy change by generating solutions to harassment and putting pressure on policy-makers and government agencies to act promptly. Furthermore, the media can activate community members to be activists in protests against any form of harassment. As such, the media can elicit new perspectives and emotions by offering professional ideas by reporting about harassment cases to create awareness on the ills of society (Thomson & McCann, 2009).

What are the links between organized hate and the economy?

Organized hate not only wreaks havoc in society but also has a tremendous economic impact on a country. Organized hate costs the world billions of dollars every year. Organized hate leads to predatory activities and violence that destroys human and physical capital stock. Furthermore, the infiltration of criminal organizations in the political and economic sphere distorts further the human and physical capital stock. According to economic literature, organized hate in the form of hate is viewed as one of the main barriers to economic growth and development, for instance in Latin American countries of Colombia and Mexico. Canada has experienced a rampant rise in organized hate groups and right-wing extremist advocating for hate crimes against race, religion, immigrants and indigenous people. For example, in 2017, Canada experienced doubled hate crimes against Muslims according to a CNN report. Organized hate in form of drug trafficking increases the economic burden on Canada due to an increase in enforcement, health care and reduced labor productivity costs (Maxouris, 2018). The smuggling of contraband goods in Canada costs the federal and provincial governments billions of revenue. Therefore, organized hate goes beyond terror and violence to economic crimes and fraud that hurt the Canadian economy.

Discuss criteria used to define whether an issue is a "social problem."

A social problem is any behavior or condition has negative impacts on a large population of people and is recognized as an issue or behavior that needs intervention (Green & Kesselman, 2011). The criterion for defining a social problem is based on both the objective and subjective components. The objective component stipulates that the issue or condition must have a negative impact on society. Similarly, the subjective component portrays the need for addressing the social problem. Social problems differ across nations due to the social constructionist views that elicit debates on whether a behavior or condition is a social challenge. Therefore, a social problem arises when a social entity such as media, politicians, and social movements call for the attention of an undesirable condition in need of remedy. A social problem differs across nations due to the differences in culture, norms, judicial system, economic practices, and government political system. For example, the US and Canada have a different definition of poverty as a social problem. The US defines the poverty line based on the average consumption of the recent five years while Canada uses the 1990 consumption patterns (Green & Kesselman, 2011). Likewise, countries across the globe fail to come to a consensus on solving climate change as a social problem since they lack a unanimous agreement on how to curb emissions.

To what extent should the government and Canadians be concerned about the growing population of seniors?

Canada is facing a growing population of seniors. According to 2016 statistics, Canada has 5.9 million seniors compared to 5.8 million children from the age of 14 and below due to the growing number of people aged 65 and above (Brean, 2017). Canadians should be concerned about the growing population of seniors because it hurts economic growth. A country with a high population of seniors experiences reduced labor force participation. A decline in labor force participation implies an increased dependency that results in increased social security tax due to high expenditure on pension programs. Moreover, the lack of adequate labor means that Canada will outsource workers that will aggravate the current immigrant crisis affecting the country's political landscape. In addition, Canada will face a problem in revenue collection in the future due to the loss of income tax among aging seniors who will be out of the labor force. Likewise, the country will spend more on health care, transportation, and housing as consumption will shift towards products and services for the seniors (Brean, 2017).

Describe how religion and law influence people's beliefs on homosexuality and homosexual conduct.

Religious beliefs play a crucial role in the rejection of societal acceptance of same-sex marriage, homosexuality and homosexual conduct. Most religious people indicate their religious texts bans any form of homosexual conduct. Therefore, religion conflicts with homosexuality because people believe that it is unethical and immoral. As such, it is difficult for homosexual people to engage in traditional Christian organizations. On the other hand, the law influences people's beliefs on homosexuality. Only a few countries such as the United States have recognized homosexuals while the majority of countries in the world have legally banned homosexual conduct. Homosexuals are reluctant to express their sexual orientation openly in countries with stringent laws (Johnson & Vanderbeck, 2015).

References

Brean, J. (2017). Census 2016: In a rapidly greying Canada, centenarians are the fastest growing segment of the population. Retrieved from https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/census-canada-aging-population

Green, D. A., & Kesselman, J. R. (2011). Dimensions of Inequality in Canada. Vancouver: UBC Press.

Harles, J. (2017). Seeking Equality: The Political Economy of the Common Good in them United States and Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Johnson, P., & Vanderbeck, R. M. (2015). Law, religion and homosexuality. London: Routledge. Maxouris, C. (2018, November 30). Report says hate crimes in Canada went up almost 50% in 2017. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/30/us/hate-crimes-canada-trnd/index.html

Stilwell, F. J. (2019). The political economy of inequality. Cambridge, UK: Polity....