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From: Gans, Herbert. 1995. The Uses of Poverty: The Poor Pay All in: . Henslin !e" .

) Down to Earth Sociology. #$%&#1'. The Uses of Poverty: The Poor Pay All HERBERT J. GANS (tan"in) in shar* +ontrast to the *re+e"in) sele+tion is this analysis of *overty, ,hi+h hel*s -s +at+h a )lim*se of ,hat it is li.e to live in Ameri+an so+iety ,ith little money. (ome *eo*le thin. that *overty sim*ly means havin) to ti)hten yo-r belt, b-t the meanin) of *overty is m-+h more *rofo-n". (o+iolo)ists have "o+-mente" that the *oor +onfront so+ial +on"itions so "ama)in) that their marria)es are more li.ely to brea. -*, they are si+.er than others, their +hil"ren are more li.ely to "ro* o-t of s+hool an" )et in tro-ble ,ith the la,, they are more li.ely to be vi+timi/e" by +rime, an", on avera)e, they "ie yo-n)er than most. 0t is "iffi+-lt to romanti+i/e *overty ,hen one .no,s ,hat its tr-e +on"itions are. 0n this sele+tion, Gans "oes not "o+-ment the "e)ra"ation of the *oor !altho-)h this is intrinsi+ally *resent in his analysis1, nor their failin) health or tro-ble" lives. 2or is his arti+le a *lea for so+ial reform. 3ather, from the observation that the *oor are al,ays *resent in so+iety he +on+l-"es that this is be+a-se they *erform vital servi+es !f-n+tions1 for so+iety. !An essential ass-m*tion of f-n+tionalism, one of the theoreti+al s+hools in so+iolo)y, is that +on"itions *ersist in so+iety only if they benefit&*erform f-n+tions for&so+iety or some of its *arts.1 0n this sele+tion, then, Gans tries to i"entify those f-n+tions. 4o yo- thin. the a-thor has overloo.e" any 5f-n+tions5 of the *oor6 0f his analysis, ,hi+h many fin" startlin), is not +orre+t, ,hat alternative e7*lanation +o-l" yo- *ro*ose (89: ;:A3( AG8 38<:3T =. 9:3T82 a**lie" the notion of f-n+tional analysis to e7*lain the +ontin-in) tho-)h mali)ne" e7isten+e -rban *oliti+al ma+hine: 0f it +ontin-e" to e7ist, *erha*s it f-lfille" &-ninten"e" or -nre+o)ni/e"&*ositive f-n+tions. >learly it "i". 9erton *ointe" o-t ho, the *oliti+al ma+hine *rovi"e" +entral a-thority to )et thin)s "one ,hen a "e+entrali/e" lo+al )overnment +o-l" not a+t, h-mani/e" the servi+es of the im*ersonal b-rea-+ra+y for fearf-l +iti/ens, offere" +on+rete hel* !rather than abstra+t la, or ?-sti+e1 to the *oor, an" other,ise *erforme" servi+es nee"e" or "eman"e" by many *eo*le b-t +onsi"ere" -n+onventional or even ille)al by formal *-bli+ a)en+ies. To"ay, *overty is more mali)ne" than the *oliti+al ma+hine ever yet it, too, is a *ersistent so+ial *henomenon. >onse@-ently, there be some merit in a**lyin) f-n+tional analysis to *overty, in as.in) ,hether it also has *ositive f-n+tions that e7*lain its *ersisten+e. 9erton "efine" f-n+tions as 5those observe" +onse@-en+es Aof a *henomenonB ,hi+h ma.e for the a"a*tation of a"?-stment of a )iven As C system.5 0 shall -se a sli)htly "ifferent "efinitionD instea" of i"entifyin) f-n+tions for an entire so+ial system, 0 shall i"entify them for the interest )ro-*s, so+ioe+onomi+ +lasses, an" other *o*-lation a))re)ates ,ith share" val-es that 5inhabit5 a so+ial system. 0 s-s*e+t that in a mo"ern hetero)eneo-s so+iety, fe, *henomena are f-n+tional or "ysf-n+tional for the so+iety as C ,hole, an" that most res-lt in benefits to some )ro-*s an" +osts to others.: 2or are any *henomena in"is*ensableD in most instan+es, one +an s-))est ,hat 9erton +alls 5f-n+tional alternatives5 or e@-ivalents for them, i.e. other so+ial *atterns or *oli+ies that a+hieve the same *ositive f-n+tion b-t avoi" the "ysf-n+tion. A0n the follo,in) "is+-ssion, *ositive f-n+tionC ,ill be abbreviate" as f-n+tions an" ne)ative f-n+tions as "ysf-n+tions. F-n+tions an" "ysf-n+tions, in the *lannerCs terminolo)y, ,ill be "es+ribe" as benefits an" +osts.B

Asso+iatin) *overty ,ith *ositive f-n+tions seems at first )lan+e to be -nima)inable. 8f +o-rse, the sl-mlor" an" the loan shar. are +ommonly .no,n to *rofit from the e7isten+e of *overty, b-t they are vie,e" as evil men, so their a+tivities are +lassifie" amon) the "ysf-n+tions of *overty Ho,ever, ,hat is less often re+o)ni/e", at least by the +onventional ,is"om is that *overty also ma.es *ossible the e7isten+e or e7*ansion of res*e+table *rofessions an" o++-*ations, for e7am*le, *enolo)y, +riminolo)y, so+ial ,orl", an" *-bli+ health. 9ore re+ently, the *oor have *rovi"e" ?obs for *rofessionals an" *ara&*rofessional 5*overty ,arriors, an" for ?o-rnalists an" so+ial s+ientists, this a-thor in+l-"e", ,ho have s-**lie" the information "eman"e" by the revival of *-bli+ interest in *overty. >learly, then, *overty an" the *oor may ,ell satisfy a n-mber of *ositive f-n+tions for many non*oor )ro-*s in Ameri+an so+iety. 0 shall "es+ribe s-+h f-n+tions&e+onomi+, so+ial, an" *oliti+al&that seem to me m+ si)nifi+ant. The Functions of Poverty First, the e7isten+e of *overty ens-res that so+ietyCs 5"irty ,or.5 ,ill "one. :very so+iety has s-+h ,or.: *hysi+ally "irty or "an)ero-s, tem*orary, "ea"&en" an" -n"er*ai", -n"i)nifie", an" menial ?obs. (o+iety +an fill these ?obs by *ayin) hi)her ,a)es than for 5+lean5 ,or., or it +an for+e *eo*le ,ho have no other +hoi+e to "o the "irty ,or. &&& at lo, ,a)es. 0n *overty f-n+tions to *rovi"e a lo,&,a)e labor *ool that is ,illin) &&& or, -nable to be -n,illin)&to *erform "irty ,or. at lo, +ost. 0n"ee", the f-n+tion of the *oor is so im*ortant that in some (o-thern states, ,elfare *ayments have been +-t off "-rin) the s-mmer months ,hen the *oor are nee"e" to ,or. in the fiel"s. 9oreover, m-+h of the "ebate abo-t the 2e)ative 0n+ome Ta7 an" the Family Assistan+e Plan has +on+erne" their im*a+t on the ,or. in+entive, by ,hi+h is a+t-ally meant the in+entive of the *oor to "o the nee"e" "irty ,or. if the ,a)es therefrom are no lar)er than the in+ome )rant. 9any e+onomi+ a+tivities that involve "irty "e*en" on the *oor for their e7isten+e: resta-rants, hos*itals, *arts of the )arment in"-stry, an" 5tr-+. farmin),5 amon) others, +o-l" not *ersist in their *resent form ,itho-t the *oor. (e+on", be+a-se the *oor are re@-ire" to ,or. at lo, ,a)es, they s-bsi"i/e a variety of e+onomi+ a+tivities that benefit the affl-ent. For e7am*le, "omesti+s s-bsi"i/e the -**er&mi""le an" -**er +lasses, ma.in) life easier for their em*loyers an" freein) affl-ent ,omen for a variety of *rofessional, +-lt-ral, +ivi+, an" *artyin) a+tivities. (imilarly, be+a-se the *oor *ay a hi)her *ro*ortion of their in+ome in *ro*erty an" sales ta7es, amon) others, they s-bsi"i/e many state an" lo+al )overnmental servi+es that benefit more affl-ent )ro-*s. 0n a""ition, the *oor s-**ort innovation in me"i+al *ra+ti+e as *atients in tea+hin) an" resear+h hos*itals an" as )-inea *i)s in me"i+al e7*eriments. Thir", *overty +reates ?obs for a n-mber of o++-*ations an" *rofessions serve or 5servi+e5 the *oor, or *rote+t the rest of so+iety from them. As alrea"y note", *enolo)y ,o-l" be min-s+-le ,itho-t the *oor, as ,o-l" *oli+e. 8ther a+tivities an" )ro-*s that flo-rish be+a-se of the e7isten+e of *overty are the n-mbers )ame, the sale of heroin an" +hea* ,ines an" li@-ors, *ente+ostal ministers, faith healers, *rostit-tes, *a,n sho*s, an" the *ea+etime army, ,hi+h re+r-its its enliste" men mainly from amon) *oor. Fo-rth, the *oor b-y )oo"s others "o not ,ant an" th-s *rolon) the e+onomi+ -sef-lness of s-+h )oo"s&"ay&ol" brea", fr-it an" ve)etables that ,o-l" other,ise have to be thro,n o-t, se+on"han" +lothes, an" "eterioratin) a-tomobiles an" b-il"in)s. They also *rovi"e in+omes for "o+tors, la,yers, tea+hers, an" others ,ho are too ol", *oorly traine", or in+om*etent to attra+t more affl-ent +lients.

0n a""ition to e+onomi+ f-n+tions, the *oor *erform a n-mber of so+ial f-n+tions. Fifth, the *oor +an be i"entifie" an" *-nishe" as alle)e" or real "eviants in or"er to -*hol" the le)itima+y of +onventional norms. To ?-stify the "esirability of har" ,or., thrift, honesty, an" mono)amy, for e7am*le, the "efen"ers of these norms m-st be able to fin" *eo*le ,ho +an be a++-se" of bein) la/y, s*en"thrift, "ishonest, an" *romis+-o-s. Altho-)h there some evi"en+e that the *oor are abo-t as moral an" la,&abi"in) as an else, they are more li.ely than mi""le&+lass trans)ressors to be +a-)ht an" *-nishe" ,hen they *arti+i*ate in "eviant a+ts. 9oreover, they la+. the *oliti+al an" +-lt-ral *o,er to +orre+t the stereoty*es that other hol" of them an" th-s +ontin-e to be tho-)ht of as la/y, s*en"thrift, et+. by those ,ho nee" livin) *roof that moral "evian+e "oes not *ay. (i7th, an" +onversely, the *oor offer vi+ario-s *arti+i*ation to the rest of the *o*-lation in the -ninhibite" se7-al, al+oholi+, an" nar+oti+ behavior in ,hi+h they are alle)e" to *arti+i*ate an" ,hi+h, bein) free" from +onstraints of affl-en+e, they are often tho-)ht to en?oy more than mi""le +lasses. Th-s many *eo*le, some so+ial s+ientists in+l-"e", believe that the *oor not only are more )iven to -ninhibite" behavior !,hi+h be tr-e, altho-)h it is often motivate" by "es*air more than by la+. inhibition1 b-t "erive more *leas-re from it than affl-ent *eo*le !,hi+h resear+h by Eee 3ain,ater, Falter 9iller, an" others sho,s to be *ate -ntr-e1. Ho,ever, ,hether the *oor a+t-ally have more se7 an" en?oyG more is irrelevantD so lon) as mi""le&+lass *eo*le believe this to be they +an *arti+i*ate in it vi+ario-sly ,hen instan+es are re*orte" in fa+t or fi+tional form. (eventh, the *oor also serve a "ire+t +-lt-ral f-n+tion ,hen +-lt-re +reate" by or for them is a"o*te" by the more affl-ent. The ri+h often +olle+t artifa+ts from e7tin+t fol. +-lt-res of *oor *eo*leD an" almost Ameri+ans listen to the bl-es, 2e)ro s*irit-als, an" +o-ntry m-si+, ,hi+h ori)inate" amon) the (o-thern *oor. 3e+ently they have en?oye" the r styles that ,ere born, li.e the <eatles, in the sl-msD an" in the last year *oetry ,ritten by )hetto +hil"ren has be+ome *o*-lar in literary +ir+les. The *oor also serve as +-lt-re heroes, *arti+-larly, of +o-rse, to the le b-t the hobo, the +o,boy, the hi*ster, an" the mythi+al *rostit-te ,ith a heart of )ol" have *erforme" this f-n+tion for a variety of )ro-*s. :i)hth, *overty hel*s to )-arantee the stat-s of those ,ho are not *oor. 0n every hierar+hi+al so+iety someone has to be at the bottomD b-t in Ameri+an so+iety, in ,hi+h so+ial mobility is an im*ortant )oal for many an" *eo*le nee" to .no, ,here they stan", the *oor f-n+tion as a reliable an" relatively *ermanent meas-rin) ro" for stat-s +om*arisons. This is *arti+-larly tr-e for the ,or.in) +lass, ,hose *oliti+s is infl-en+e" by the nee" to maintain stat-s "istin+tions bet,een themselves an" the *oor, m-+h as the aristo+ra+y m-st fin" ,ays of "istin)-ishin) itself from the no-vea-7 ri+hes. 2inth, the *oor also ai" the -*,ar" mobility of )ro-*s ?-st above them in the +lass hierar+hy. Th-s a )oo"ly n-mber of Ameri+ans have entere" the mi""le +lass thro-)h the *rofits earne" from the *rovision of )oo"s an" servi+es in the sl-ms, in+l-"in) ille)al or nonres*e+table ones that -**er& +lass an" -**er&mi""le&+lass b-sinessmen sh-n be+a-se of their *resti)e. As a res-lt, members of almost every immi)rant )ro-* have finan+e" their -*,ar" mobility by *rovi"in) sl-m ho-sin), entertainment, )amblin), nar+oti+s, et+., to later arrivals&most re+ently to bla+.s an" P-erto 3i+ans Tenth, the *oor hel* to .ee* the aristo+ra+y b-sy, th-s ?-stifyin) its +ontin-e" e7isten+e. 5(o+iety5 -ses the *oor as +lients of settlement ho-ses an" benefi+iaries of +harity affairsD in"ee", the aristo+ra+y m-st have the *oor to "emonstrate its s-*eriority over other elites ,ho "evote themselves earnin) money. :leventh, the *oor, bein) *o,erless, +an be ma"e to absorb the +osts of +han)e an" )ro,th in Ameri+an so+iety. 4-rin) the nineteenth +ent-ry, they "i" the ba+.brea.in) ,or. that b-ilt the

+itiesD to"ay, they are *-she" o-t of their nei)hborhoo"s to ma.e room for 5*ro)ress.5 Urban rene,al *ets to hol" mi""le&+lass ta7*ayers in the +ity an" e7*ress,ays to enable s-b-rbanites to +omm-te "o,nto,n have ty*i+ally been lo+ate" in *oor nei)hborhoo"s, sin+e no other )ro-* ,ill allo, itself to be "is*la+e". For the same reason, -niversities, hos*itals, an" +ivi+ +enters also e7*an" into lan" o++-*ie" by the *oor. The ma?or +osts of the in"-striali/ation of a)ri+-lt-re have been borne by the *oor, ,ho are *-she" off the lan" ,itho-t re+om*enseD an" they have *ai" a lar)e share of the h-man +ost of the )ro,th of Ameri+an *o,er overseas, for they have *rovi"e" many of the sol"iers for Hietnam an" other ,ars. T,elfth, the *oor fa+ilitate an" stabili/e the Ameri+an *oliti+al *ro+ess. <e+a-se they vote an" *arti+i*ate in *oliti+s less than other )ro-*s, the *oliti+al system is often free to i)nore them. 9oreover, sin+e they +an rarely s-**ort 3e*-bli+ans, they often *rovi"e the 4emo+rats ,ith a +a*tive +onstit-en+y that has no other *la+e to )o. As a res-lt, the 4emo+rats +an at on their votes, an" be more res*onsive to voters&&for e7am*le, the ,hite ,or.in) +lass&,ho mi)ht other,ise s,it+h to the 3e*-bli+ans. Thirteenth, the role of the *oor in -*hol"in) +onventional norms !see fifth *oint, above1 also has a si)nifi+ant *oliti+al f-n+tion. An e+onomy base" on the i"eolo)y of laisse/&faire re@-ires a "e*rive" *o*-lation that is alle)e"ly -n,illin) to ,or. or that +an be +onsi"ere" inferior be+a-se it m-st a++e*t +harity or ,elfare in or"er to s-rvive. 2ot only "oes the alle)e" al "evian+y of the *oor re"-+e the moral *ress-re an the *resent *oliti+al e+onomy to eliminate *overty, b-t so+ialist alternatives +an be ma"e to loo. @-ite -nattra+tive if those ,ho ,ill benefit most from them +an be "es+ribe" as la/y, s*en"thrift, "ishonest, an" *romis+-o-s. The Alternatives 0 have "es+ribe" 1# of the more im*ortant f-n+tions *overty an" the *oor in Ameri+an so+iety, eno-)h to s-**ort the f-n+tionalist thesis that *overty, li.e any other so+ial *henomenon, s-rvives in *art be+a-se it is -sef-l to so+iety or some of its *arts. This analysis is not inten"e" to s-))est that be+a-se it is often f-n+tional, *overty sho-l" e7ist, or that it m-st e7ist. For one thin), *overty has many more "ysf-n+tions than f-n+tionsD for another, it is *ossible to s-))est f-n+tional alternatives. For e7am*le, so+ietyCs "irty ,or. +o-l" be "one ,itho-t *overty, either by a-tomation or by *ayin) 5"irty ,or.ers5 "e+ent ,a)es. 2or is it ne+essary for the *oor to s-bsi"i/e the many a+tivities they s-**ort thro-)h their lo,&,a)e ?obs. This ,o-l"D ho,ever, "rive -* the +osts of these a+tivities, ,hi+h ,o-l" res-lt in hi)her *ri+es to their +-stomers an" +lients. (imilarly, many of the *rofessionals ,ho flo-rish be+a-se of the *oor +o-l" be )iven other roles. (o+ial ,or.ers +o-l" *rovi"e +o-nselin) to the affl-ent, as they *refer to "o any,ayD an" the *oli+e +o-l" "evote themselves to traffi+ an" or)ani/e" +rime. 8ther roles ,o-l" have to be fo-n" for ba"ly traine" or in+om*etent *rofessionals no, rele)ate" to servin) the *oor, an" someone else ,o-l" have to *ay their salaries. Fe,er *enolo)ists ,o-l" be em*loyable, ho,ever. An" *ente+ostal reli)ion +o-l" *robably not s-rvive ,itho-t the *oor&nor ,o-l" *arts of the se+on"& an" thir"&han"&)oo"s mar.et: An" in many +ities, 5-se"5 ho-sin) that no one else ,ants ,o-l" then have to be torn "o,n at *-bli+ e7*ense. Alternatives for the +-lt-ral f-n+tions of the *oor +o-l" be fo-n" more easily an" +hea*ly. 0n"ee", entertainers, hi**ies, an" a"oles+ents are alrea"y servin) as the "eviants nee"e" to -*hol" tra"itional morality an" as "evotees of or)ies to 5staff5 the fantasies of vi+ario-s *arti+i*ation. The stat-s f-n+tions of the *oor are another matter. 0n a hierar+hi+al so+iety, some *eo*le m-st be "efine" as inferior to everyone else ,ith res*e+t to a variety of attrib-tes, b-t they nee" not be *oor

in the absol-te sense. 8ne +o-l" +on+eive of a so+iety in ,hi+h the 5lo,er +lass,5 tho-)h last in the *e+.in) or"er, re+eive" I5 *er+ent of the me"ian in+ome, rather than 15&'$ *er+ent, as is no, the +ase. 2ee"less to say, this ,o-l" re@-ire +onsi"erable in+ome re"istrib-tion. The +ontrib-tion the *oor ma.e to the -*,ar" mobility of the )ro-*s that *rovi"e them ,ith )oo"s an" servi+es +o-l" also be maintaine" ,itho-t the *oorCs havin) s-+h lo, in+omes. Ho,ever, it is tr-e that if the *oor ,ere more affl-ent, they ,o-l" have a++ess to eno-)h +a*ital to ta.e over the *rovi"er role, th-s +om*etin) ,ith, an" *erha*s re?e+tin), the 5o-tsi"ers.5 !0n"ee", o,in) in *art to anti*overty *ro)rams, this is alrea"y ha**enin) in a n-mber of )hettos, ,here ,hite storeo,ners are bein) re*la+e" by bla+.s1 (imilarly, if the *oor ,ere more affl-ent, they ,o-l" ma.e less ,illin) +lients for -**er&+lass *hilanthro*y, altho-)h some ,o-l" still -se settlement ho-ses to a+hieve -*,ar" mobility, as they "o no,. Th-s 5(o+iety5 +o-l" +ontin-e to r-n its *hilanthro*i+ a+tivities. The *oliti+al f-n+tions of the *oor ,o-l" be more "iffi+-lt to re*la+e. Fith in+rease" affl-en+e the *oor ,o-l" *robably obtain more *oliti+al *o,er an" be more a+tive *oliti+ally. Fith hi)her in+omes an" more *oliti+al *o,er, the *oor ,o-l" be li.ely to resist *ayin) the +osts of )ro,th an" se. 8f +o-rse, it is *ossible to ima)ine -rban rene,al an" hi)h,ay *ro?e+ts that *ro*erly reimb-rse" the "is*la+e" *eo*le, b-t s-+h *ro?e+ts " then be+ome +onsi"erably more e7*ensive, an" many mi)ht never b-ilt. This, in t-rn, ,o-l" re"-+e the +omfort an" +onvenien+e of those ,ho no, benefit from -rban rene,al an" e7*ress,ays. Finally, hi**ies +o-l" serve also as more "eviants to ?-stify the e7istin) *oliti+al e+onomy&&& as they alrea"y "o. Pres-mably, ho,ever, if *overty ,ere eliminate", there ,o-l" be fe,er atta+.s on that e+onomy. 0n s-m, then, many of the f-n+tions serve" by the *oor +o-l" be re*la+e" if *overty ,ere eliminate", b-t almost al,ays at hi)her +osts to others, *arti+-larly more affl-ent others. >onse@-ently, a f-n+tional analysis m-st +on+l-"e that *overty *ersists not only be+a-se it f-lfills a n-mber of *ositive f-n+tions b-t also be+a-se many of the f-n+tional alternatives to *overty ,o-l" be @-ite "ysf-n+tional for the affl-ent members of so+iety. F-n+tional analysis th-s -ltimately arrives at m-+h the same +on+l-sion as ra"i+al so+iolo)y, e7+e*t that ra"i+al thin.ers treat as manifest ,hat 0 "es+ribe as latent: that so+ial *henomena that are f-n+tional for affl-ent or *o,erf-l )ro-*s an" "ysf-n+tional for *oor or *o,erless ones *ersistD that ,hen the elimination of s-+h *henomena thro-)h f-n+tional alternatives ,o-l" )enerate "ysf-n+tions for the affl-ent or *o,erf-l, they ,ill +ontin-e to *ersistD an" that *henomena li.e *overty +an be eliminate" only ,hen r be+ome "ysf-n+tional for the affl-ent or *o,erf-l, or ,hen the *o,erless obtain eno-)h *o,er to +han)e so+iety. Author s Postscri!t" July ##" $%&' 8ver the years, this arti+le has been inter*rete" as either a "ire+t atta+. on f-n+tionalism or a ton)-e&in&+hee. satiri+al +omment on it. 2either inter*retation is tr-e. 0 ,rote the arti+le for t,o reasons. First an" foremost, 0 ,ante" to *oint o-t that there are, -nfort-nately, *ositive f-n+tions of *overty ,hi+h have to be "ealt ,ith by anti*overty *oli+y. (e+on", 0 ,as tryin) to sho, that f-n+tionalism is not the inherently +onservative a**roa+h ,hi+h it has often been +riti+i/e", b-t that it +an be em*loye" in liberal ra"i+al analyses.

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