Third World Poverty And Appalachian Poverty example essay topic

Appalachian Poverty Poverty is a global problem, and it has existed from the beginning of civilization. Hunger, homelessness, and lack of health care are major aspects of this world-wide dilemma. Many countries are in complete poverty and a majority are third-world countries. Within the United States of America, a land of plenty, there are also pockets of extreme poverty. Governments around the world are trying to solve this huge problem. Third world poverty and Appalachian poverty, which occurred in the United States of America, have developed for various reasons, and these situations have led to a great deal of problems.

Throughout the world, poverty has plagued all countries. In smaller, under-developed countries many people die from starvation. These countries can not afford to support their citizens. Due to their financial problems, the people lack proper shelter and clothing to keep themselves warm during cold months. Since they lack adequate shelter and clothing, diseases occur all over. These diseases develop a lot easier with poor nutrition.

Once again with more financial problems, health care is limited to none. Lawrence Senesh, the contributor of 'Poverty as a Social Problem' from World Book, says poverty is usually caused by the difficulty in holding and even getting a job (650). Ability, education, and skills help determine the kind of job an individual gets (650). Horten 2 Everyone does not have the same physical abilities and mental abilities.

Poor health and abilities prevent some people from holding a job. Through science people have been able to hold onto jobs a lot easier (650). It has increased the need for professional workers and lowered the demand for the unskilled (650). So, the people with higher education will get paid a higher income, and people with lower education will get paid a lower income. Changes in economic slumps can often bring poverty. When businesses drop off and production declines people lose jobs without warning (650).

Poverty is also caused by social conditions, such as racial discrimination (Blacks, Asians, and Mexicans) (650). Whites are usually the ones who do the discriminating (650). There are a variety of third-world countries in the world. A third world country is a country that is economically depressed and continues to grieve. Examples of third world countries are Bosnia, Hungary, Austria, Romania, and Somalia.

The United States of America, the richest country in the world, has its share of poverty (Senesh 650 a). Granted, American poverty is no match to third world poverty, but for such a prosperous country it is pretty sad. Most third world countries do not have social security or welfare (650 a). So, the people of those countries have no income to keep themselves going. Eventhough America does have both social security and welfare, this country still has many homeless and starving people. Horten 3 Appalachia includes thirteen states, ranging from southern New York to eastern Mississippi (650 a).

About eighteen million people live in Appalachia. In March, 1965, the United States Congress passed the Appalachian Regional Redevelopment Act. The legislation was designed primarily to create more jobs by attracting tourists and industries. It provided funds and made the area more accessible. Funds also were made available for new schools and health facilities, land and mine reclamation, and timber and water conservation. The poverty in America will not be solved all at once (650 a).

Simply creating jobs will not help eliminate poverty because there are some people who are disabled and just can not work (650 a). The government social welfare programs help to add income to many people (650 a). These people could be the retired, unemployed, disabled, or widowed (650 a). In order to help the less fortunate, the people that are employed are taxed to raise money to pay for social security and other benefits (650 a).

For the higher income workers taxes are higher, and for lower income workers taxes are lower. Michael Winerip stated in 'What's a Nice Jewish Lawyer Like John Rosenberg Doing in Appalachia?' from New York Times Magazine, that Rosenberg left Washington to go to Kentucky; he quickly realized that the land was barren. A land that was once bountiful Horten 4 for its time is now a vast quantity of nothing (Winerip 25). In the videotape 'Appalachian Poverty " directed by Susan Jones, she shows how run ned down Applachia really is. The government has been trying to eliminate poverty for decades.

In 1946 an employment act was passed (Senesh 650 a). This act charges the federal government to keep the economic stability of the United States of America (Senesh 650 a). The way the government has tried to decrease the poverty level is by increasing in goods and services (650 a). Since the mid-1940's, poverty has been reduced about one per cent a year, which is a normal growth rate (650 a). Some other ways that could help this vast area is for the people to start re farming the land, which is stated in the book Justice Catholic Faith at Work in the World by Gustatson and Wilkins (42).

Sandra Decosta states in 'Head Start Restarts hope in Rural W. Virginia' from Children Today that schools are being built and education is being spread. Although Applachia is, the soul and hope of the people are still thriving, which is found in the article 'In the Heart of Applachia' from National Geographic By Jeannie Ralston. The United States of America is a land of plenty and America is known for its freedom and advantages. With all these possibilities to succeed, America has its own shame.

Sadly enough, poverty has struck this country. The largest pocket of poverty is found in a region called Appalachia. As written by D. McGraw in 'Signs of hope in Appalachia' Horten 5 from U.S. News and World Report. Although Appalachian poverty is a big issue in the United States, it was a lot worse about thirty-years ago (62).

The United States government has pumped fourteen million dollars into Appalachia (63). Majority of the money is used to fix up run down buildings, communities, and highways (Senesh 650 a). In the beginning of the 1960's, thirty percent of Appalachia was in poverty. Thanks to the government funding, poverty has decreased from thirty percent to fifteen percent (62). Although much as changed, Ron Ellen, a man that McGraw questions, quotes, '... when you get back into the communities that are off the beaten track, you find conditions that have changed little from the 1960's (62). ' Another one of the biggest problems in Appalachia is the unemployment.

In West Virginia alone, eight percent of the people are unemployed (McGraw 63). The sad thing is that it is the best it has been in the past twenty years, and West Virginia is considered to be the lowest unemployed state in Appalachia (63). The economic development of Appalachia is extremely uneven (Mcgraw 62). Things that help these small town are efforts like Dollywood (62).

A variety of things were done to help lower the unemployment rate. One important item is the big industries, like computer factories, that came into the area. The government has been doing a lot to decrease unemployment. They have been creating government jobs for the people, a program which began in the late 1980's.

In fact, they set up a Federal Bue rau of Horten 6 Investigation fingerprinting building that employs two thousand six hundred people in West Virginia (Mcgraw 63). Companies have flourished in this area. Nearly seventy top software companies have entered the area since 1990 (Mcgraw 63). Over a thousand residents have been employees in software and research (63). Seventy seven point nine million dollars we reused to build seventy percent more firms in 1994, which was raised by the federal government (63). The primary way to lower unemployment is to encourage future generations to get an education.

The high schools today must be upgraded to meet the future needs of our nation. In high schools and colleges across the nation all students must be with the computer. Today, the computer is used for many purposes from simple spreadsheet to architectural designs. Another technological advance is the internet. The internet is almost a mandatory commodity today. The whole world is connected by the internet.

The internet connects many large and small companies. In Virginia, seven hundred out of eight hundred and seventy three high schools have connected to the internet as we approach the end of 1997 (McGraw 63). If the education is upgraded, people will get more jobs and / or higher paying jobs (63). The Appalachian Regional Commission says that seventy seven percent of eighteen to twenty-four year olds have completed high school (McGraw 63). Horten 7 The bishops say in article 'Bishops speak out on behalf of Appalachia' from Christian Century, ' Poverty is just as bad as it was twenty years ago (Bishops 6). ' In the new pastoral, bishops say that the natural environment and its people depend on global environmental change (Bishops 6).

This change is having a great impact on the Appalachian region, from New York to Mississippi (6). Reasons for the change involve the closing of large business and the cutting down of forests (6). The new economic system is changing the Appalachian region into a more technological area (6). A bishop states: With the decline of mining and other blue-collar employment... local governments are tempted to depends on garbage dumping and new prisons as their only source of revenue and new jobs... Appalachia is at a crossroads where a choice must be made between sustainable development (6). The outside region is trying make Appalachia into an out-of-state garbage-wasteland (6).

Proposals also have been made to put countless prisons into the area (6). The mining workers and blue collar employers are being dumped off like waste (6). Bishop Walter Sullivan of Richmond, Virginia says, ' we are treating the poor the way we treat the land (6). ' The people of Appalachia should be treated through technology since they are also Horten 8 consumers of this land we call 'land of plenty' (6). The bishops are helping out the Farmers Budget and adopting forests to help keep Appalachia better place (6).

Many also say that the land should be used for helpful things, not wasteful things (6). The bishops who all signed the statement were: Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore, Archbishop John Donoghue of Atlanta, Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati, Archbishop Thomas Kelly of Louisville, Bishop William Curl in of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Bishop William Hughes of Covington, Kentucky. Although the Appalachian area is known for its poverty problem, Jeffery Damron who wrote 'Going Back to Appalachia' from Newsweek, considers it a beautiful place and something he calls home (16). Because of the down roads and low run communities, it is no wonder Appalachia has the stereotype it has (Damron 16). Appalachia is not just a poor wasteland. It is an underdeveloped area waiting for the future to arrive.

Ith as high mountains and extremely gentle winds which make life there beautiful. The forest of Appalachia is a major center of the United States (16). 'Bark grinders and fly minders tell a tale of Appalachia' which was written by Jeannie Ralston in Smithsonian, states that she notices that progress has found the mountain area, and that the life is easier and more romantic (Ralston 45). With the wide open land this area is open for the future. People are starting to move into this area, looking for what promises to be a bright future (16). Appalachia contains one of the biggest cities in the world.

New York City is the center of Horten 9 world activity. Trends are started and developed New York City (16). Despite the fact that Appalachia is high in poverty, it has one of the lowest crime rates in the United States. It is a wonderful place to live and raise a family (16). With the wide open fields and ranches, it makes for a peaceful place to live. When the seasons hit the Appalachian Mountains, it is beautiful (16).

In autumn the leaves turn a red and gold colors that light up the hillsides. The mountain ranges run on forever (16). Political scientists say that poverty situations could lead to hostile actions against the government (Senesh 650). The government is usually blamed for the poor's' problems.

As quoted by anthropologists and sociologists 'Poverty breeds Poverty' (650). Children that are raised in a poor environment are usually destined to be poor for all their lives. Many adults become extremely discouraged. Due to the fact that they can't hold onto a job, these people lose all dignity and self-respect (650-650 a). Eventually they become associated with being poor. This leads to their children wanting to remain poor (650 a).

With the younger generations wanting to remain poor, it operates like a chain reaction; leading to hundreds and hundreds of people in poverty. Given all of the facts mentioned above, it is easy to see that the world and America has a bigger problem on their hands than they realize. The causes of poverty come from many different factors. It might be related to the natural evolution of civilization. There are ways to solve this dilemma, and it will take some time to resolve. If this problem i sHorten 10 solved soon the whole world could prosper in the future, but if not the whole world could pass away in famine.

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Bibliography

Appalachian Poverty. Dir. Susan Jones. 1997.
Bishop. 'Bishops speaks out on behalf of Appalachia. ' The Christian Century 3 January 1996: 6.
Damron, Jeffery. 'Going Back to Appalachia. ' Newsweek 19 October 1992: 16.
DeCosta, Sandra. 'Head Start Restarts hope in Rural W. Virginia. ' Children Today 1993: 28.
Gustatson Ph. D, Janie, and Ronald Wilkins. Justice Catholic Faith at Workin the World Iowa: 1993.
McGraw, D. 'Signs of Hope in Appalachia. ' U.S. News and World Report 6 May 1996: 62-63.
Ralston, Jeannie. 'Bark grinders and fly minders tell a tale of Appalachia. ' Smithsonian February 1996: 44-53.
Ralston, Jeannie. 'In the Heart of Appalachia. ' National Geographic February 1993: 112.
Senesh Lawrence. 'Poverty as a Social Problem. ' World Book 1977: 650-650 a.
Winerip, Michael. 'What's a nice Jewish lawyer like John Rosenberg doing in Appalachia?' New York Times Magazine 29 June 1997: 25-27.