Social underclass essay

This did not happen and such pauperization, it might be argued became the basis for what Charles Murray (1990) has termed the development of an underclass. This paper will evaluate evidence to assess whether and in what ways an underclass may be said to have developed in Britain during the 1990s.

He disputes the idea that the underclass develops a specific culture and maintains that there is little evidence to support the existence of a dual labour market. He does however, acknowledge that the position of many people in the labour market has been weakened to the point where they are working for slave wages.

Sociologists have argued that the phrase ‘social exclusion’ should be used for those in poverty rather than ‘underclass’. They state that the name means disadvantaged rather than to blame. Thus including a broader range of people who are unable to take part in society because of multi disadvantage and not just poverty.

Throughout the 1990s this view was espoused by a number of British politicians who aired their views on television debating shows. Although this did not happen, successive Governments have tightened their hold on benefits purse strings and made life much harder for those who have to live on welfare benefits.