27 October 2005
MYTHS ABOUT THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY
A list of beliefs that are commonly held in our society in regard to those on low incomes formed part of a joint presentation from Carmel and Gerard Stafford on behalf of Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services at a recent Anti-poverty Week forum in Sunshine, Vic.
The presentation noted that in looking to meet the challenges facing our national economy in the future such as
- the provision of health and social security benefits to an ageing population,
- maintaining employment levels in the face of increasing global competition , and
- meeting the future demand for increasingly scarce and expensive resources (including energy requirements)
governments were adopting policies and strategies aimed at reducing welfare spending (eg tightening eligibility criteria) , reducing labour costs (hence the proposed IR reforms) and increased privatisation (extending the ‘user pays’ principle)
The paper suggests that behind these strategies lie a number of assumptions about the human person, human rights and the common good that are at variance with Catholic social teaching.
In particular it is suggested that the following widely held assumptions deserve to be questioned
- Poverty is inevitably an issue about fault and inadequacy (It’s all the fault of the individual)
- Poverty can be avoided or alleviated by the individual taking more responsibility (If they took greater and more focused initiative, their circumstances would improve)
- Poverty is the result of a person abrogating their personal responsibility. (They should not expect others to take responsibility for their own failings)
- Poverty is a result of people lacking in specific skills which, if taught, will alleviate and probably transform personal circumstances (low income people don’t know how to shop appropriately, or how to make their meagre resources work best for them; they don’t have financial management skills; they frequently miss-spend on inappropriate luxuries)
- Low income people don’t know how to save money. (a more specific version of the above assumption)
- Specific items of clothing, or particular resources should not be owned or purchased by low-income people. (this includes items such as mobile phones; motor vehicles; and brand names of clothing)
- Specific services should not be used by low income people if they cannot afford it (this could include services such as telephone, and internet, and some could even suggest access to particular utilities)
- Ongoing poverty is a result of poor motivation (Education and encouragement will address this problem)
The presentation noted that in looking to meet the challenges facing our national economy in the future such as
- the provision of health and social security benefits to an ageing population,
- maintaining employment levels in the face of increasing global competition , and
- meeting the future demand for increasingly scarce and expensive resources (including energy requirements)
governments were adopting policies and strategies aimed at reducing welfare spending (eg tightening eligibility criteria) , reducing labour costs (hence the proposed IR reforms) and increased privatisation (extending the ‘user pays’ principle)
The paper suggests that behind these strategies lie a number of assumptions about the human person, human rights and the common good that are at variance with Catholic social teaching.
In particular it is suggested that the following widely held assumptions deserve to be questioned
- Poverty is inevitably an issue about fault and inadequacy (It’s all the fault of the individual)
- Poverty can be avoided or alleviated by the individual taking more responsibility (If they took greater and more focused initiative, their circumstances would improve)
- Poverty is the result of a person abrogating their personal responsibility. (They should not expect others to take responsibility for their own failings)
- Poverty is a result of people lacking in specific skills which, if taught, will alleviate and probably transform personal circumstances (low income people don’t know how to shop appropriately, or how to make their meagre resources work best for them; they don’t have financial management skills; they frequently miss-spend on inappropriate luxuries)
- Low income people don’t know how to save money. (a more specific version of the above assumption)
- Specific items of clothing, or particular resources should not be owned or purchased by low-income people. (this includes items such as mobile phones; motor vehicles; and brand names of clothing)
- Specific services should not be used by low income people if they cannot afford it (this could include services such as telephone, and internet, and some could even suggest access to particular utilities)
- Ongoing poverty is a result of poor motivation (Education and encouragement will address this problem)
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