The foundation of the American Dream is a set of values including freedom, opportunity, equality, prosperity and success. The credo that everybody can make it “from rags to riches” is strong among Americans. The citizens believe that everybody in their country is equal, has the same opportunities and chances and can be successful in life – as long as they work hard enough for that. This belief got carried on through the centuries, its tangibility proven by the few lucky ones who actually made it, exploited by Republicans for their campaign and after all has always been one of the cornerstones of the American culture. Unfortunately the American Dream cannot be lived by every citizen of the States. According to Oxfam between one quarter and one third of the American civilization belong to the “Working Poor”, a group of people that occupy jobs but do not earn enough money to live off. Many live beneath the poverty line even though they are employed in one or several jobs. These people can be met everywhere: working in restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, daycares and private mansions - to only mention a few. When examining the States’ poverty rate there are severe differences between the ages, gender and ethnical backgrounds of the people who are, per definition, poor.
The myth of equality has failed many people in the United States. It still is a country driven by prejudices, inequality and false hope. Many citizens, legal and illegal, do not benefit from the system. Exploding costs for health insurance and a decent education are only the tip of the iceberg. A not so small part of America’s population struggles to feed their families and to offer their children a future filled with chances, better opportunities and improved living conditions. Escaping a social class is not easy, overcoming prejudices as a member of an ethnic minority is hard and the fight to overcome the gender pay gap is not won yet. People of a lower class, the ones with a foreign heritage, and certainly more men than women, make up the biggest part of the working poor. In the following chapters we will examine the large group of people who work hard and still live under the threshold of poverty. We will analyze the reasons for their situation, why certain groups are more likely to be stuck in low-wage jobs, how hard it is to achieve the American Dream and the psychological consequences of a life spend stuck in a poorly paid job.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Poverty in the United States
- Who Belongs to "the Poor"?
- Food Insecurity
- The Working Poor Concerning Gender
- The Pay Gap – A Brief Introduction…
- The Pay Gap - A Tool of Discrimination towards Women
- Occupational Segregation
- Explaining the Pay Gap
- The Working Poor Regarding Ethnic Minorities
- Illegal Immigrants and the Working Poor…
- Women among Ethnic Minorities…
- Racial Prejudices in the United States…
- Social Heritages and the Myth of Equality in the United States..
- The Need of Owning Money to Make Money - A Vicious Circle in the United States…
- The Costs of Colleges
- How Families Afford College
- Reasons for Enrolling Community College…
- Why Do We Need Employments? How Jobs Define People's Value for Society…
- The Need of Owning Money to Make Money - A Vicious Circle in the United States…
- Proposed Solution to Decrease the Poverty Rate…
- The Importance of the Affordable Care Act…
- The Threat towards Equality by the Presidency of Donald Trump…
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis explores the issue of social inequality in the contemporary United States, focusing on the "Working Poor." It aims to uncover the realities of poverty and the systemic factors that contribute to it, examining the obstacles faced by different social groups, including women, ethnic minorities, and low-income families.
- The American Dream and its disconnect from reality
- The prevalence and characteristics of the "Working Poor" in the United States
- The role of gender, race, and ethnicity in perpetuating poverty
- The challenges of accessing education and healthcare for low-income individuals
- Potential solutions to decrease the poverty rate in the United States
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The thesis begins with an introduction that highlights the American Dream and its inherent contradictions. The first chapter then delves into the complexities of poverty in the United States, defining poverty thresholds and providing demographic data on those living below the poverty line. This chapter also challenges common stereotypes about the poor.
The second chapter explores the gendered aspects of poverty, specifically focusing on the gender pay gap. It examines the systemic factors contributing to this disparity and discusses the impact of occupational segregation and discrimination on women’s earnings.
Chapter three shifts attention to the intersection of poverty and ethnicity, looking at the specific challenges faced by ethnic minorities, particularly illegal immigrants and women within these communities. It analyzes the persistent racial prejudices that contribute to the economic marginalization of minority groups.
Chapter four delves into the cycle of poverty, examining how access to education and the need for employment can perpetuate social inequality. The chapter discusses the high cost of higher education, the challenges of affordability for low-income families, and the impact of job market dynamics on social mobility.
Chapter five proposes potential solutions to decrease the poverty rate, focusing on the Affordable Care Act and its role in improving healthcare access for low-income individuals. The chapter concludes by exploring the potential impact of Donald Trump's presidency on the future of social equality in the United States.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This thesis focuses on the concepts of social inequality, poverty, the "Working Poor," gender pay gap, racial prejudices, access to education, healthcare, and the American Dream. It draws on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Consumer Price Index, and research on poverty and discrimination. The work examines both systemic factors and individual experiences to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of poverty in the United States.
- Quote paper
- Julia Merten (Author), 2017, The social inequality in the Unites States of America and how President Donald Trump is going to handle this issue, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/375457
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