Abstract
AbstractThe question of what are considered the causes of poverty is often neglected in the literature of this area of research. This paper analyzes the attributes of poverty in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hungary, which is one of the most disadvantaged areas of the country. Research was carried out in 2011 and 2019 using the method of systematic data collection, making possible the comparison of the changing perceptions of poverty over time. The research objective is to discover whether, as is common in Eastern European countries, support for explanations which blame structural conditions is dominant in the public perception of poverty. This research has made it clear, that the poor are often considered by the public to be responsible for their own vulnerable situation. With regard to the area where the research took place there is a discrepancy between reality and the public perception of poverty and the functioning of the welfare system which is thought to be generous and which is considered to offer multiple types of public aid for a wide range of recipients.
Highlights
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 01/14/22 10:01 AM UTCHungarian Studies 35 (2021) 1, 80–96 government in the alleviation of poverty, the legitimacy of the welfare state, tax progression, and income redistribution
With regard to the area where the research took place there is a discrepancy between reality and the public perception of poverty and the functioning of the welfare system which is thought to be generous and which is considered to offer multiple types of public aid for a wide range of recipients
In the field of social policy, less attention has been paid to public perceptions of poverty, notwithstanding that over a hundred years ago Simmel (1908) argued that popular beliefs about poverty may have an important impact on welfare regimes
Summary
Hungarian Studies 35 (2021) 1, 80–96 government in the alleviation of poverty, the legitimacy of the welfare state, tax progression, and income redistribution. The legitimacy and viability of welfare programs are significantly influenced by public perceptions of poverty (Lepianka et al 2009; van Oorschot and Halman 2000). Support for structural attributions of poverty may encourage public acceptance of the social welfare programs (Habibov 2011; Verwiebe and Wegener 2000). Lay explanations of poverty reveal important aspects of the existing welfare culture, as well as the moral economy of society by providing information about the status of a given social group (Mau 2003; Pfau-Effinger 2005). Perceptions of poverty influence interactions between poor and non-poor communities on a daily basis (Bullock 1999; Niemela 2008; Siposne Nandori 2021)
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