Arts & Culture
The Culture of Poverty Thesis and Its Critiques in Urban Anthropology
Quick fact
Oscar Lewis proposed the culture of poverty thesis in 1966, based on ethnographic studies in Mexico and Puerto Rico. He argued that the poor develop a subculture with distinct values and behaviors that perpetuate poverty across generations, independent of the larger economic system.
Why this is interesting
What if being poor isn't just about money, but about a whole way of life that keeps people trapped? That idea sparked a huge debate in anthropology. But was it true?