The culture of poverty: An impediment to development

After introducing the concept of the culture of poverty and discussing characteristics associated with it worldwide, such as fatalism and resignation, present-time orientation, inability to defer gratification and to plan, low self-image, and violence, the author focuses on the culture of poverty in Kenyan society. He discusses the characteristics of the culture of poverty in Kenya and relates them to real life situations based on his own experience as an educated African returning to his home village after studying overseas 'to be saddened by the poverty and behavioural patterns' of village residents. He deals with the effects the culture of poverty has on development efforts in Kenya, looking specifically at the population explosion, attitudes towards work, the inability to plan, the lack of political awareness, and corruption in government and society in general. The author argues that the best way to fight poverty and its corollaries is through eradication of the culture of povert