Does Britain Have an Underclass?

Does Britain Have an Underclass?What is an underclass(prenominal)(prenominal) and does it exist in Britain directly?The idea of the existence of an underclass isnt by any actor new. Charles Murray is by chance the best known researcher who has studied the underclass both in the US and Britain. Murray arrived in Britain in 1989 from the US where he showed that a huge underclass had already emerged and he wanted to comp atomic second 18 Britain to the US. He described in his 1990 paper the Emerging British Underclass that it was spreading like a plague through our social fabric, last-place that Britain does indeed chip in an underclass and predicting that by the year 2000 it would have gravid to dramatic proportions. This analyze shall examine the theory of underclass by Charles Murray and or so alternative opinions by his critics in order to exemplify what a convoluted subject the underclass is. Murrays prediction of an existing and indeed expanding underclass will al so be examined.It is impossible to examine the concept of underclass with emerge looking at an example of class theory of which there atomic number 18 many. Just one has been selected, that of Runciman (1990). He suggests that there are seven classes in British union the upper class, three middle classes (upper, middle and lower) two take to the woodsing classes (skilled and unskilled) and an underclass. Runciman describes the underclass as those who are excluded from the labour market simply (cited in marshal, 1997). This could be be stir of disability, being in debt, or through neglect of skill and are highly likely to be women or/and in the ethnic minorities. These are non causal factors. The main feature of the underclass is long term unemployment.Murray (1990) agrees that long term unemployment and its increase is the cause of the underclass along with the rise of case-by-case parenthood. Welfare benefits are as well easily available for these groups he argues, thereby creating a culture of addiction. Murrays translation of underclass is not concerned with the degree of scantness barely a type of poverty and supports the view that the underclass are defined by their behaviour. They devalue the work ethic and are practically associated with anti social behaviour and crime. He argues that the provision of welfare benefits for unmarried parents have contributed towards the decline of the traditional nuclear family. Murray focuses on illegitimacy beholding it as a different problem from carve up, separation or widowhood. He envisions that children who have only ever known one parent from take in are more(prenominal) likely to be in the underclass than those who have, at some point, experienced having two parents. He concluded that illegitimacy was more common in households that were poor than rich and also in neat families more than black or Asian (although he doesnt see race or ethnicity, or gender as a tributary factor). He makes a dist inction between the short term jobless and those who are long term economically inactive. The reliance on benefits and devaluation of work perpetuates from generation to generation, thereby forming early socialisation into the counter-culture referred to as the underclass.The class theory of Runciman and the meaning of underclass according to Murray are not the only theories in existence. The complexity of it means one fixed definition cannot be attributed to it. Critics of Murray suggest that there is a tendency in his work to blame the underclass themselves, whereas societal factors need to be considered. Glasgow (1980) argues that the economy has failed to extend equal opportunities. Inequalities mean that some groups are excluded. knowledge base (1989) blames the Thatcher government for recognise the rich and punishing the poor and suggests that social problems are interconnected. One detail part of Murrays theory that has attracted criticism is the focus on love child1 ch ildren. brownish (cited in Lone Parent Families, Ed Donnellan, 2004) argues that it is unfair to label illegitimate children as being in the underclass. In many cases of divorce or separation, the absent parent doesnt contribute financially at all or contributes very little, thereby placing their child and former checkmate amongst the groups that are not so well off . Statistics have shown that exclusive parenthood has risen in Britain supporting Murrays prediction. Britain has the highest rate of puerile pregnancies in Western Europe, the second highest in the world. The figures for the number of illegitimate children in 1988 in Britain was 25.6%. The 2001 census showed that as many as one in four children are being raised in a single parent family. 90% of single parents are women. Single teenage parents are most likely to be amongst the poorest. Child care facilities are high-priced and working hours may not be flexible. Studies have shown that if they do lift work they may start at the very bottom of the go in part time or temporary positions with few benefits, perhaps only earning slightly more than they would on benefits. If they do try and hold up themselves come on of hardship, it would prove incredibly difficult. Finding work does not of necessity mean that someone will be out of poverty.Murray fails to mention the senior(a), practically seen in Britain as outside of mainstream society, despite what their position was during their working life. Field (1989) cites the underclass as consisting of single parents, the long term unemployed and the frail, elderly pensioner. Many critics of Murray argue that income and wealth need to be equal to ground the elderly better lives. Efforts have been made such as rid eye tests, free television license and winter fuel payments. However, this support is not available to all pensioners and those in social policy would like to see a return to a link between pensions and wage (which was abolished in 198 0) which would help lift the elderly out of poverty ( radical the Joseph Rowntree substructure website).Government policies have been implemented to try and alleviate problems. Charles Murray eventually halt providing Government with possible policies because of pessimism about their capabilities to change things. Figures for February 2006 showed that the employment rate was 74.5% but this figure was down by 0.4% over the year. 51% of those unemployed were women. However, the number of job vacancies had decreased. Those taking part in Government schemes such as the New Deal are not included in unemployment figures. Critics suggest that the Government create these schemes so that unemployment figures drop but putting tidy sum into poorly paid work will not lift them out of the underclass. Preston (2005) emphasises that the benefit system for those not working is inadequate and often unobtainable (for example to asylum quester families) so therefore doesnt let the security Murray suggests it does.It is impossible to give an adequate definition of what the underclass is as it is very much a disputed concept. Ideas of what the underclass actually is have been mentioned here, notably Murray who suggests that the British underclass is a subculture in itself and tends to blame the spate within it rather than societal circumstances. Critics blame inequalities in education, job opportunities, caparison and so on. It can be concluded that there are sections of society that could be termed the underclass, desperately needing Government to create policies to help them out of poverty and that those outside the mainstream society are growing asylum seeker families are certainly excluded from mainstream education and a chance to work adding to those vitality in poverty in this country. In this respect, Murray was right in that those living(a) in poverty has grown. Social scientists and policy makers however do not always agree on who actually makes up the underclas s. book of account count 1252ReferencesBrown J (2004) Quoted in Lone Parent Families Ed Donnellan, Scotland, Independence Educational publishersField, F , (1989) Losing out The Emergence of Britains Underclass, Oxford, BlackwellMarshall G (1997) Social class and underclass in Britain and the USA (an essay from Social Differences and Divisions Ed Braham P Janes L (2002) Oxford, Blackwell in association with the exculpated University)Murray C (1990) The Emerging British Underclass cited in Morris L (1993) redoubted classes, London, RoutledgePreston G, (2005) Quoted in Child Poverty Action Group Manifesto decennium Steps to a Society Free of Child Poverty, CPAG (white paper) Internet sourceJoseph Rowntree Foundation (online)Social Exclusion Unit Breaking the Cycle pickings Stock of Priorities for the Future, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004 Internet source