Lewis's culture of poverty
Observing poor families in Mexico and Puerto Rico, Lewis (1959, 1966) argued that the poor in stratified capitalist societies develop a 'culture of poverty' as they adapt to marginalization. Its traits include distrust of and low participation in mainstream institutions, strong present orientation, helplessness and fatalism, and unstable family structures. He held that this culture begins as a rational adaptation but, once established, is internalized by children early and persists even when conditions change.
Policy debate and critiques
The thesis was influential during the US War on Poverty in the 1960s. Moynihan's (1965) report stressed problems in Black family structure and provoked intense controversy. Valentine (1968) argued that the theory mistook responses to blocked opportunities for causes. The thesis was later criticized as a way of blaming victims, linking it to issues of labelling. Wilson (1987) explained concentrated urban poverty and the underclass through structural change, as deindustrialization removed inner-city jobs.
Recent reassessment
Harvey and Reed (1996) reread Lewis's original argument as containing a critique of capitalist structure that was later misused by conservatives. Small, Harding and Lamont (2010) outlined a new research stream that treats culture not as fixed values but as frames, repertoires and narratives people use to interpret their situations. Researchers now focus on how culture and structure interact, alongside work on the poverty trap and social exclusion.
FAQ
- What is the culture of poverty in simple terms?
- Long-term poverty produces habits and outlooks that are passed to children, so poverty is handed down.
- Why was it criticized?
- It was used to blame the poor's attitudes rather than structural causes such as lack of jobs.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Lewis, O. (1959). Five families: Mexican case studies in the culture of poverty. Basic Books. The ethnography where the phrase first appeared.
- Lewis, O. (1966). The culture of poverty. Scientific American, 215(4), 19–25. Lewis's concise statement of the thesis.
- Valentine, C. A. (1968). Culture and poverty: Critique and counter-proposals. University of Chicago Press. An early systematic critique.
- Moynihan, D. P. (1965). The Negro family: The case for national action. Office of Policy Planning and Research, U.S. Department of Labor. The report that politicized the debate.
- Wilson, W. J. (1987). The truly disadvantaged: The inner city, the underclass, and public policy. University of Chicago Press. A structural alternative explanation.
- Harvey, D. L., & Reed, M. H. (1996). The culture of poverty: An ideological analysis. Sociological Perspectives, 39(4), 465–495. Ideological analysis of the concept.
- Small, M. L., Harding, D. J., & Lamont, M. (2010). Reconsidering culture and poverty. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 629(1), 6–27. The revival of culture-and-poverty research.