Critique of the Culture of Poverty

• Some researchers have reservations about the existence of a culture of poverty. Research conducted in many different countries has indicated that the poor have found ways of improving their life situations, for example, by participating in community groups and politics, and maintaining strong family units.
• Other researchers have also contended that the behaviour of the poor is not culturally ingrained, but rather, is due to ‘situational constraints’ such as unemployment, underemployment, low income and other related factors.