Stigma against benefits has made devastating poverty acceptable in Britain
A stigma against benefits in Britain worsens poverty, affecting 14 million, including 4 million destitute. Politicians perpetuate stereotypes to justify cuts, hindering help-seeking and perpetuating poverty cycles. Efforts focus on reframing poverty and advocating non-stigmatizing policies.
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In Britain, a stigma against benefits has contributed to a devastating poverty crisis, with over 14 million people living in poverty, including 4 million classified as destitute. The intense stigma divides people into "deserving" and "undeserving" categories, affecting those who rely on state benefits. This stigma has allowed cuts to the welfare state to persist, unlike in other European countries. Politicians have perpetuated stereotypes of "scroungers" to justify cuts, leading to a moral panic about "benefits cheats." Stigma not only hinders people from seeking help but also isolates them and perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Efforts to combat stigma include reframing poverty as an issue of economic injustice and advocating for policies that do not stigmatize individuals based on their circumstances. To address Britain's poverty crisis, it is crucial to reject stigma and recognize it as a tool used to justify economic inequality and injustice.
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6 commentsMeanwhile, people like this are like: "Increase supply? haha, best I can do is subsidize demand!"
To an outsider, it's remarkable how durable this attitude has been.
That is an interesting point. The people who shift the blame to the poor don't actually care why they are poor, they just need some sort of circular logic to maintain a scapegoat. If government policies make the scapegoats poorer it, is proof of their bad decisions and they deserve even more blame.
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