Social Justice and the Provisions - Essay Example

Social Justice and the Provisions Introduction Examining social justice and the provisions that surround this leads to different perspectives and concepts that are associated with the outcome in society. In the book Hard Work: Life in Low – Pay Britain, there is a direct association with the concepts of society and social justice. The author focuses on providing insight and details from first hand experiences to provide individuals with a deeper understanding of the extremities of this situation. The main theme that the author presents with this is based on providing different individuals with a deeper understanding of the disadvantages that many have while they are working for low pay in Britain. More importantly, the author is able to show concrete examples of what this means in terms of daily life as well as how society and culture responds to those that are living in the lower class in Britain. Providing the images and disadvantages as a part of society allows the author to create a deeper understanding of the injustices that are a part of the social class. Summary of Hard Work The main concept that is examined in the book Hard Work by Polly Toynbee begins with the idea of experimenting and asking what it is like to live in the lower class. Toynbee writes the book with the willingness to live as one who makes the minimum wage in Britain over an extended period of time. The different encounters that happen are written in a specific format to provide a deeper understanding of what is occurring for those that are living as the lower class in Britain. The author’s extended accounts of what happens through this book then allows the individual reading the book to understand the harshness and extremities that are a part of being poor in Britain. After doing this, the author examines the idea of the deserving poor, which is based on the poor that are in Britain. The individuals that are examined are ones that have grown up without wealth and who aren’t able to understand any other component of life. By examining this, Toynbee is also able to create a different understanding of poverty and the way that it creates complications from being a part of the lower class. The beginning descriptions of Toynbee are associated with the author taking a job for minimum wage. Toynbee follows this with finding a space that will allow the lifestyle to be enhanced by moving into Lent for one year. The author lived in the worst neighborhood for a year, and each day examined the people, places and things that were associated with living in this area. Over the period of the year, Toynbee noted that not having money led to more evaluation of expenses, specifically to make sure that she could continue to survive with the expenses that were a part of her lifestyle. After looking at this part of the lifestyle, Toynbee continues with the examination of those that are around her and which are known as the deserving poor. This includes the population that grew up in poverty or that has limited means and can’t move out of the conditions that they are with. By looking at this aspect of the concept of poverty, Toynbee is also able to build an understanding of the demands, dictatorship of work and the complications that are a part of the lifestyle of the working life. After this, Toynbee points out the several programs that have become a part of Britain and which have led to the associations with the poor, such as contract work, financial insecurities of corporations and the government and the social change that is associated with being a part of the working poor. Adding in these elements allows the book to have a stronger perspective toward the complications that are associated with the idea of the working poor in Britain. Analysis The different concepts that Toynbee approaches in this book provides the reader with a strong understanding of the situation of the working class and the complications that are affiliated with this. The several perspectives that Toynbee provides, as well as the first hand experience that she moves into specifically to write the book invites a different perspective on what it means to be a part of the working class. The main points that Toynbee gives are not only to provide an evaluation of society and the working class. More importantly, Toynbee’s approach is designed to change the biases and the associations with class that often are seen through individuals. The approach that Toynbee takes, as well as the perspective that is associated with this, allows for a deeper understanding of the book and what is a part of being the working class. The first strength that is a part of the book is the way that Toynbee approaches the narrative. Toynbee is focused on the audience that is considered as elitist and is known to have more wealth. There is also an association with the individuals that are interested in academia, social work and social inclusion in society. These two main target audiences can be seen through the perspectives that Toynbee relays in the book. Deciding to go in first hand to Lent and to live for a year as the working class immediately breaks the barriers of class that would be initially defined by those who have wealth. More importantly, Toynbee is able to create an association with academia by providing relevant information and a narrative on the government and corporate programs and structures. The affiliations that Toynbee points out through these two specific perspectives allows for different details and understanding to be available through the book and provides a better sense of knowledge about what is occurring throughout the book. Another strength that is noted through the book by Toynbee is based on the affiliations that are made with the working class through the experiences. The actions that Toynbee recounts show a deeper understanding and meaning to the book and allow one to respond with their personal understanding of the experience. The actions that Toynbee takes by moving into the worst neighborhood for a year, and showing the actions that she is required to take for simple survival, creates an immediate response from those that are reading the book. Instead of seeing only the statistics or failure of programs, there is a psychological and emotional association with the situation that Toynbee is in. One is able to understand, through the evaluation of actions that are taken, that there are more complications to living as the working class and to being a part of the population that is considered as the working poor. Instead of the stereotypes that are often surrounding those that are in this situation through the elite, Toynbee is able to show how it is not the fault of the working class that they are poor. Instead, it is the system that is associated with Britain and the lack of support that is available for those that are in this situation. While the ability to connect to the audience at different levels is one of the strengths that are associated with Toynbee’s approach, there are some weaknesses that don’t provide a complete perspective on what is occurring. For instance, through the book, Toynbee makes several arguments about the current statistics, governmental situation and the symbolic poverty that is a part of society. However, there are different components and aspects that are not in the book, specifically because Toynbee uses the foundation of her book through her own experience. Because there is a personal experience first, there is also a limitation to the evaluation that Toynbee offers. Toynbee admits that she makes more from her job in a half hour, compared to what the working class makes in a week. More importantly, there is not recognition that Toynbee has lived in the situation for a shorter period of time than most in the working class. Toynbee is still an outsider that is evaluating the situation, as opposed to being an individual who is able to grow up and live in the situation for several years. The mentality of the working class as well as the different biases that surround this at a different level may have created a different response or sense of understanding about the depth of the situation. Even though this is a weakness to the book, there is still the ability for this particular book to have a strong impact on the different events that are occurring in Britain at this time frame. The New Labour Movement, as well as the association with changing the working and poor class to move out of poverty is one of the questions that several have. The main component of these movements is to create a different set of programs to begin moving individuals out of poverty. Toynbee is able to create an evaluation of the programs that are being made and is able to theoretically apply whether this will work for those that are in need of assistance from the government. Toynbee is also able to see where the main weaknesses are in the current program, which can create a significant difference in social programs, governmental aid and the way that the working class and poverty is approached through society. Not only does Toynbee’s voice on poverty create a different association with the reform movements, but also directly points out where the main problems are with assistance programs. The question that is asked after Toynbee points out the experiences and the different programs is based on the need to understand why nothing is working for Britain. Specifically, Toynbee is able to show why government programs and social services are not able to reach to those that are living in poverty. The gaps that are in the system and the misunderstandings of those that are living as a part of the working class are all pointed out as significant reasons why the working class is not able to receive the assistance that is needed. While this may not completely change the program, and even though there are some gaps that are noted in the specific approach of Toynbee, it allows individuals to reconsider what they are trying to set up for the government. The question of whether the reform acts and the assistance from other social classes will work becomes the main consideration of those that are interested in social reform. More than creating programs and offering assistance, Toynbee shows a realistic perspective of what is occurring with the working class, as well as what they need for a true reform that will move them outside of poverty. Conclusion The different concepts that Toynbee uses in her book, Hard Work: Life in Low Pay Britain, examines the several layers of complications that are a part of poverty. Through her first hand experience, Toynbee is able to create a foundational association with the psychological and emotional components of living in poverty. More importantly, Toynbee is able to eliminate some of the biases and stereotypes that are a part of poverty. The concept and approach that Toynbee provides as a basis is then able to examine the several conflicts that are a part of social work and governmental programs that are designed to aid those in poverty but aren’t able to reach to those that are a part of the working class. Through this book, Toynbee is able to question the current social structure of the system based on economy, while creating a sense of the need to reform to begin directly assisting those that are living in poverty. Through this book and examination of information, Toynbee is able to provide individuals with some of the realistic answers that are a part of living in poverty. References Toynbee, Polly. Hard Word: Life in Low – Pay Britain. Bloomsberry Publishing: UK, 2003. Read More