Surviving Poverty by Joan Maya Mazelis

Author:Joan Maya Mazelis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SOC026000 Social Science / Sociology / General
Publisher: NYU Press

Conclusion

Membership in KWRU does not provide strong employment networks or financial capital, and in that way the organization does not aid members in getting out of poverty. However, KWRU helps members build bonding social capital, which allows members to survive and eases some of the worst consequences of their dire poverty. The limits of reciprocity and social capital point to structural inequality too powerful for individuals to overcome, even with the strongest commitment to reciprocity possible. Social capital is a way to mitigate the worst effects of poverty and reciprocity is a way to make social ties productive of resources to aid survival, but social capital cannot eliminate systemic poverty or erase structured inequality.

In spite of this, reciprocity norms are surprisingly effective within KWRU. Most members speak about reciprocity in a positive way and most fulfill reciprocity norms in a way that both keeps the organization functioning and maintains their membership. Participants speak to me freely about KWRU activities, describe them as valuable, and seem to have a sense of pride at doing their part for a group that has become the safety net they previously lacked.

This chapter also lays bare the central fact of poverty, especially the level of deep vulnerability that KWRU members experience—it is a profound lack of resources: a lack of money, time, and services. KWRU’s ability to prevent homelessness for its members as a result of the organization’s system of reciprocity is a significant achievement; its ability to produce a good return on the investment of time and other resources for so many desperately poor people is also an extraordinary accomplishment. Reciprocity is a practical tool to mitigate the devastating effects of this lack of resources. Its limitations—the fact that reciprocity requirements push some people out and make it impossible for those who stay to develop mobility strategies that might, especially in the context of other systemic reforms, help them get out of poverty—point to the structural nature of poverty and inequality.

Cate reciprocates for the small demonstration KWRU staged for her, described at the beginning of chapter 3, by letting new members stay with her, traveling for the group, distributing food in poor Philadelphia neighborhoods, and recruiting new members. CC works in the KWRU office helping those who come in for assistance, goes to rallies and demonstrations, and travels to international meetings with the organization in return for the housing assistance KWRU gives her. Rebecca does not give of her time as KWRU expects and finds herself evicted from a KWRU house. For these women and others, the benefits available through the social ties described in chapter 3 come at a considerable cost, but in general members find that the group’s reciprocity norms and pooling of resources make the investment worthwhile. KWRU’s existence depends on these norms. Chapter 5 discusses how this receiving and giving of assistance lays the foundation for social ties. In fulfilling the organization’s norms of reciprocity, KWRU members transform social support into social capital and build sustainable ties.

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