Murrary and the underclass

• Underclass

  Those who lack skills for employment and don't have any income

  • became surplus to a globalised economy > production moved where unskilled labour is cheapest
  • more benefits = more dependent
• Murrary

  'Excessive' state welfare payments created a dependency culture of people who don't want to work

  • social welfare started as a safety net for people with a hard time > got hijacked by people with no intention of working
• Murrary visited UK and defined underclass' behaviour

  • Littered and unkempt homes
  • Men in family unable to get a job
  • Children grew up ill-schooled and ill-behaved, contribute to disproportionate share of juvenile delinquents
• Murrary

  Underclass is a behaviour and a lifestyle choice, a disease infecting people who care the following characteristics:

  • long term unemployment
  • high rates of teen pregnancy
  • female headed lone families
• Murrary

  Children who are not socialised into mainstream norms and values > likely to grow into those who commit delinquency and criminal behaviour