"How sociologists measure the extent of poverty is largely dependent on what definition of poverty is used." Discuss

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Nicci Waterfield                Sociology Inequality assignment

“How sociologists measure the extent of poverty is largely dependent on what definition of poverty is used.” Discuss

Poverty is a social inequality that no one should ever have to face, but it is sad to say that even in modern day times it is widely present in many societies.  Sociologists measure poverty in two different ways; one-way is called Absolute poverty and the other being Relative poverty.  In this essay I will be looking into both ways and examining their relation to poverty in everyday life.  Absolute poverty studies look into what is needed for the necessities of life for a human being.  The necessities of life used to only allow for food, shelter and clothes, but also nowadays education and protection from crime are also fundamental for peoples needs.  Relative poverty studies give more value to life, by taking into account that people need to have more than just the necessities of life and allowing social needs.  

Absolute Poverty studies use a poverty line to measure poverty and any one that falls below that line is considered to be in poverty.  The line is set at the minimum cost for standard living, by determining what is required then calculating what it costs to acquire them.  The items that are allowed are mainly food, clothes, fuel and shelter.  Charles Booth did the first study of this.  Booth spent a lot of time looking into poverty in England in the early 20th century; he concluded that 33% of the working class are in poverty.  These findings helped Seebohm Rowntree to create the poverty line.  He calculated the minimum amount that was required to obtain the ‘basket of goods’ that was essential for a basic standard of living.  Only a small amount was allowed for sundries such as soap for washing, also dieticians calculated the minimum calories required for a person.  A small amount was taken into account each week for new clothes; this was done by working out the cost of the cheapest hat available then dividing the amount over 2 years.

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My views on this are very biased as times were very different in the early 20th century to nowadays, but to me it seems unfair that the absolute poverty line that was set still left people having to scrimp and save to acquire basic items which were essential.  After a welfare scheme was put into place to assist those who needed help with finances, to stop people falling below the poverty line, poverty in 1936 was recorded that 18% of the UK population was still in poverty, thus indicating that the welfare state that had been introduced was starting to ...

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