Although an essay may seem like a means that relies too much on pure theory to be able to bring a concrete solution to this problem, still, when I conceived it, I felt that it was not so! Because all great deeds, all right actions, started from right ideas, and possibly to be put into practice. Or, according to the well-known saying: all great actions were based on a great dream. And, as will be seen, what results from the application of social theories to this very concrete problem is a solution not only practical, but at the same time, beneficial for all those involved, without the risk of destabilizing society. To make myself better understood, I will explain what was required by this essay: by explaining and understanding the phenomenon of poverty, according to these three social theories (about which you can easily find out, even on the net – I am not a sociologist either, but I understood them very well), to indicate a possible way to solve this problem. The solution to this essay is only the one I found personally, but thinking better, I thought it would be a useful problem to be solved by any young member of society, on which tomorrow’s society could depend. . Meaning: future politicians, lawyers, economists, business executives, teachers, doctors, etc. And of course, older people can think about it, because I’m not that young either. 🙂 However, what I have already said, and I repeat, is that the problem is not theoretical, but practical, and the solution found is also to be put into practice. I’ve already started, and I hope you will, too! So here is the essay:
Could World Poverty Problem Be Solved? Essay On Poverty, According To The Social Theories Of Symbolic Interaction, Structural / Functional Analysis And Conflict Theory
According to symbolic interactionism theory, the emergence of poverty in society could be somehow explained by the deterioration of the symbolic value people used to confer to each other. For example, if one of them was more gifted than another, and had the chance to earn more goods, then he evaluated himself as “valuable” and the other as “not valuable”, or “not worthy”. And then he banished the other, letting him handle things on his own. And the other became poor consequently.
Then, after this phase of people devaluation, the further evolution of poverty in society could be explained by the structural / functional theory. At some point, a large group of members of society began not to have their needs satisfied by the society. This time, it was not about individuals, but about large social structures, following programs initiated by the few who had reached the top, then had imposed their conditions on everyone who needed something from society. A sort of “social Procust bed” created by plutocracy members, where probably many didn’t fit in.
And the conflict theory could explain the final stage, and the most acute, of the poverty evolution in society – a stage where the differences between the top and the basis of the social pyramid became huge. Numerous people from the base didn’t succeed in meeting their basic needs, that’s why conflict was inavoidable. That’s the stage we are now at… the global capitalist society, where half of the worlds ‘wealth is owned by just one percent of worlds’ population.
Now, in order to find a way to eradicate poverty, we logically may come back to the prime cause of it: people devalorization by their peers, enunciated by the symbolic interactionism theory. So, we should reeducate the entire society in order to re-attach value to all human beings. To understand that every human being is an end in itself, according to Immanuel Kant, and not just a means by which society acquires goods. For this purpose; religion should have an important role to play, especially Christianity. Cause Christian values have been structuring the modern society for centuries. All we have to do is pursue this path, and raise our voices if necessary when talking about those needing help. And accompany our words with deeds. Cause the power of example is the only real way of teaching someone.
Sources:
- Crossman, Ashley. „What Is Symbolic Interactionism?” ThoughtCo, updated January 30.2020, www.thoughtco.com/symbolic-interaction-theory-3026633 , . Accessed 18 March 2021
- „Structural-Functional Theory”. Introduction To Sociology, Lumen, courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-introductiontosociology/chapter/structural-functional-theory. Accessed 18 March 2021
- Cole, Nicki Lisa Ph.D. „The Critical View on Global Capitalism.” ThoughtCo, updated July 13, 2019, www.thoughtco.com/why-is-global-capitalism-bad-3026085 . Accessed 18 March 2021
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