If you’ve read any Dickens, you’ll know how poverty and vice were inherently linked in the Victorian psyche. In Britain, poor people were marginalised and even criminalised by the Poor Laws of 1834. Victorians believed in the notion of the ‘undeserving poor’; that it must be a defect in an individual’s personality that resulted in poverty, such as an unwillingness to work hard or an inherent dishonesty or mendacity. Depending on your background and where you come from, you may or may not be surprised to discover that many of these attitudes and assumptions about poverty persist today. Those who see people in poverty as “others” are more likely to blame their condition exclusively on lack of personal responsibility, ignoring other factors, like education, disability, discrimination and family structure. Victorian attitudes that falsely connect poverty and vice (such as laziness or immorality) prevent progressive policy changes that would help alleviate poverty and benefit everyone in society, poor or otherwise.

In this section, you’ll find out about poverty myths, learn the social, political and economic reasons that trap people in poverty, discover texts that perpetuate false poverty stories; and progressive texts that call for a change in the social narrative about this modern taboo. Find out more about stereotyping poverty by choosing an article or two from the list below to read and report back:

• The Myth of the Culture of Poverty (article by Paul Gorski)
• American Attitudes About Poverty (PRB Report)
• Poverty Myths and Stereotypes (handout by Just Harvest)
• Victorian Attitudes Towards Poverty… Today (article from the Young Fabians)
• Curb Your Malthusiasm (essay by George Monbiot)
• Media Matters: Photographing Homelessness (by Cassandra Sanguiliano at Homeless Hub)
• Self Made (article by Pamela Walker Laird in The Colorado Sun)
• We Will Track You Down (article at The Conversation)
• Why We Need to Look Beyond Headlines (West Country Voices article)
• Benefits Stigma Is Booming: Key Myths Debunked (Big Issue article)

Reading Challenge

This is a longer and more challenging text, but spending time on this piece, and discussing it with your teacher, will help you master this topic:

• A-Town and B-Ville: A Semantic Parable (extract from Language In Thought And Action)

Areas of Exploration Guiding Conceptual Question

Every one of us is immersed in a particular time and culture. Wherever you might be reading this right now – from Paris to Peru to Pyongyang – you are surrounded by and influenced by culture or, as people travel, migrate and intermingle, a mix of cultures. This complexity of cultures influences the texts we create and, in turn, texts are an important way of understanding and gaining insight into other people and places. Reading through the following resource will help you explore the guiding question:

• To what extent do texts offer insight into other cultures?

Discussion Points

After you’ve got your head around the material in this section, pair up, pick a question, spend five minutes thinking and noting down your thoughts – then discuss your ideas with a friend and report back to the class:

1. Do you think that stereotypes of poverty persist in the society you live in today? What historical or cultural factors contribute to poverty stereotypes in your city or country? Do you think these stereotypes are widespread?
2. How can societies go about tackling poverty? Is it possible to end poverty? How? What policies might be effective in helping raise people out of poverty? Are there any examples of places that are succeeding in the battle against poverty?

1. How Victorian Britain Exported Poverty Myths

“Nowadays… you are left with the really hard fundamental character—personality defect.”

Margaret Thatcher, 22nd Dec 1978

The way society and mass media views poverty has deep historical roots. For example, in Victorian Britain, poverty was not simply seen as an unfortunate circumstance; it was often interpreted as a moral failing. The Poor Laws of 1834 institutionalised this belief, dividing the poor into ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ categories. Those deemed ‘undeserving’ were thought to suffer because of personal defects: laziness, dishonesty, or even some kind of instinctive criminality. This harsh judgment of innate character defects was reinforced by literature and social commentary of the time. If you’ve read any Dickens, you’ll recognize how poverty and immorality were frequently intertwined in the Victorian imagination, creating a narrative that criminalized need and romanticized self-reliance.

These ideas were not just cultural; they shaped policy and public attitudes. Workhouses, punitive welfare systems, and rigid class hierarchies all stemmed from the assumption that poverty was a choice rather than a condition influenced by structural forces. Understanding these origins is crucial because many of these myths persist today, subtly influencing how we talk about welfare, work ethic, and social responsibility. In this section, we’ll explore how these stereotypes emerged, why they were so powerful, and how they laid the foundation for modern misconceptions about poverty. By examining Victorian texts and historical policies, you’ll see how narratives about ‘undeserving’ poverty became embedded in society. And, hopefully, you’ll agree that dismantling them remains a priority even now:

• From Welfare to Workhouses (PPT)

Activity: Investigating Victorian Attitudes to the Poor

Henry Mayhew (1812–1887) was a pioneering social investigator and journalist who sought to uncover the realities of urban poverty in Victorian London. His monumental work, London Labour and the London Poor (1851), is a vivid blend of reportage, interviews, and observation. For years, Mayhew walked the streets of London, speaking directly to costermongers, street sellers, beggars, and child labourers, documenting their voices and lives with remarkable detail. What makes this work so fascinating is its tone. Mayhew often writes with deep sympathy for the hardships endured by the poor, capturing their resilience and humanity. Yet, at the same time, he classifies them into moral categories: those who “will work,” “can’t work,” and “won’t work”: revealing a judgmental framework typical of Victorian attitudes.

For this activity, examine four selected extracts and images from Mayhew’s book (embedded below; text available at the British Library). Practice your analytical writing by answering the question: How do Mayhew’s descriptions and illustrations mix compassion with moral judgment? Consider both the language he uses in his captions and longer extract, as well as any visual cues in the images. Does he invite empathy, reinforce stereotypes, or do both at once?

• London Labour and the London Poor Extracts (PDF)

2. Poor Journalism: Persistent Poverty Stereotypes

“After a brief hibernation… the ‘scrounger’ narrative is returning.”

Leo Woodend, We Will Track You Down

Although Victorian ideas about the ‘undeserving poor’ may seem outdated, many of these attitudes are alive and well today. Modern narratives often echo the same assumptions: that poverty is the result of laziness, poor choices, or a lack of personal responsibility. Terms like ‘benefit scrounger’ or ‘welfare queen’ dominate headlines and political debates, reinforcing the notion that those in need are somehow morally suspect. These stereotypes ignore the complex realities that trap people in poverty: factors such as low wages, disability, discrimination, and systemic inequality. When poverty is framed as an individual failing rather than a structural issue, it becomes easier to justify punitive policies and harder to build empathy.

In this section, we’ll examine how these myths persist in media, politics, and everyday language. You’ll explore why these narratives endure, how they shape public opinion, and what they reveal about society’s reluctance to confront inequality. Begin by using this resource to discuss how word choice and metaphor shape attitudes toward poverty. You’ll find a list of terms, phrases and labels commonly used in modern media concerning poverty. For each term, consider its connotations: does it suggest blame, empathy, neutrality, or something else? How might these words influence public perception and policy? Record your thoughts in the table below, then discuss how language frames poverty and welfare in ways that can reinforce stereotypes or challenge them:

• Poverty Language and Labelling (PDF)

Activity: Poverty Under the Lens

Benefits Street is a five-part documentary series that aired on Channel 4 in January 2014. It follows residents of James Turner Street in Birmingham, a community where a significant proportion of households rely on welfare benefits. The series quickly became one of Channel 4’s most-watched programs, attracting over four million viewers for its first episode. However, its reception was controversial. Critics accused the show of presenting a toxic caricature of Britain’s poor and exploiting vulnerable people for entertainment, a phenomenon often described as ‘poverty porn.’ Hundreds of complaints were lodged with Ofcom, and commentators argued that the program reinforced harmful stereotypes by focusing on crime, addiction, and benefit dependency, while neglecting more balanced portrayals of everyday life. Supporters claimed it offered an unfiltered look at life on benefits, but detractors saw it as sensationalist and stigmatizing.

Watch episode 1 of Benefits Street (embedded above), paying attention to how poverty and welfare are portrayed. as you watch, consider aspects such as word choice, framing, and tone of narration. How are residents described? Does the narration moralise or sensationalise? Which behaviours and storylines are foregrounded? Are residents given agency? Use the analysis grid (below) to keep track of your observations. Discuss your thoughts, considering whether the episode offers insight into poverty or perpetuates stereotypes. Finally, complete a reflective evaluation answering the question: Does Benefits Street encourage empathy, reinforce stereotypes, or provoke outrage?

• Benefits Street Analysis Grid (PDF)

3. The Myth of the Self-Made Man

“Many point to the great inventors throughout history, like Henry Ford, as examples of self-made men being wildly successful without others’ help.”

Daniel Fishman, The Great Conservative Myth

If poverty is often treated as a personal failure, wealth is almost always framed as a personal triumph. Modern culture doesn’t just admire the rich… it idolises them. From glossy magazine spreads and reality TV shows to motivational quotes about ‘hustle’ and self-made success, wealth is portrayed as the ultimate marker of intelligence and hard work. Billionaires are celebrated as visionaries, and luxury lifestyles are marketed as aspirational goals, creating a narrative that wealth is always earned and deserved.

This idolisation obscures uncomfortable truths: that extreme wealth often depends on privilege, inherited advantages, and systemic inequalities. It also reinforces the myth that anyone can achieve riches through sheer effort, making poverty seem like a failure of ambition rather than a consequence of structural barriers. By glorifying wealth while demonising those in need, society perpetuates a distorted morality that rewards excess and punishes vulnerability. In this section, we’ll explore how media, advertising, and popular culture construct these myths about wealth. You’ll examine why we forgive extravagance in the rich, question the ‘self-made narrative,’ and consider how these attitudes shape our views on fairness and social responsibility:

• The Myth of Self-Made Men (PPT)

Activity: Representations of Wealth and Success

Research a text that presents rich people, poor people, or luxury lifestyles (or a combination of these subjects). This could be a literary work that you have studied, for example, or a film you have seen (like Crazy Rich Asians), a book you have read, or a lifestyle magazine such as Vogue. How are people of wealth or people in poverty treated in the text? Is wealth framed as personal success deserving of reward? Is poverty framed as a personal failure, lack of character, or something to be ashamed of? Or is your text progressive in how it deals with issues of inequality? Comb the text for representations of wealth and/or poverty and report back through a presentation, chart, mind-map, or other way of collecting your findings.

4. Poverty Fatigue (Emotional Saturation)

“Visual advocacy goes beyond mere documentation; it challenges entrenched stereotypes, fosters empathy, and drives meaningful action from the public and policymakers alike”

Cassandra Sangiuliano, Photographing Homelessness

Poverty fatigue (also known as ‘donor fatigue’) is the emotional and psychological exhaustion that develops when people are repeatedly exposed to issues of poverty. This phenomenon affects not only those living in poverty but also individuals who encounter poverty through media, charitable work, or advocacy. Over time, constant exposure to stories of hardship and appeals for help can lead to feelings of frustration, helplessness, and disengagement. One major contributor to poverty fatigue is the use of powerful, often distressing images in campaigns and media. Photographs of malnourished children, families living in poor conditions, or disaster-stricken communities are intended to evoke empathy and spur action. While these images can be effective, repeated exposure can overwhelm viewers, creating emotional overload. Instead of inspiring continued support, these visuals may lead to numbness or avoidance. People begin to feel that the problem is too vast to solve and that their individual efforts make little difference; in turn this often results in withdrawal from conversations and a reduction in charitable giving. Discover more about poverty fatigue, and how visuals frame our emotional responses in the resource below. Caution: there are emotive images which may cause distress in this presentation:

• What is Poverty Fatigue? (PPT)

Activity: Investigating Poverty Imagery in Real World Campaigns

In this activity, you’ll investigate how charities and NGOs present poverty-related issues on their websites. Your goal is to analyse the images, language, and strategies used to call people to action in a campaign. Choose one of the organisations from the list below (or choose your own if you prefer) and visit their homepage, browse the information they give you, and look at some of the campaigns they have launched. Pay close attention to how subjects are portrayed throughout the website: are they shown as helpless and pitiful, or resilient and empowered? Do visuals emphasise urgency, hope, or a mix of both? What emotions do the captions and headlines aim to evoke? Try to evaluate how the organisation invites you to act – does it rely on evoking your pity, inviting you into a partnership, or showing you progress can be made?

Once you’ve collected your information, prepare a short report or presentation summarising your findings, ultimately evaluating whether the strategies you’ve found are likely to induce poverty fatigue or encourage sustained support:

Learner Portfolio: Presenting Solutions (Comparing Methods of Persuasion)

Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCT) are a form of poverty relief where money is given directly to individuals or families without conditions attached. Unlike traditional aid, delivered with the involvement of charity intermediaries or strict requirements, UCT trusts recipients to decide how best to use funds handed out in cash or transferred to mobile phones or bank accounts. Research suggests this approach can improve health, education, and economic stability more effectively than conventional aid programs.

Above are embedded two short videos introducing UCT. Both videos share the same goal: to persuade viewers that UCT can be more effective than traditional aid. However, they use very different approaches. On the left is Rory Stewart’s live, persuasive speech. A former cabinet minister, Rory blends personal experience with argument and a clear call to action. On the right is an information-first video that uses graphics and narration to explain UCT, why it works, and address misconceptions. While both share common purposes – to inform and persuade – their formats and methods differ. One relies on spoken rhetoric and personal authority, the other on visual clarity and systematic explanation. Your Learner Portfolio task is to compare how these two videos present their ideas. Focus on how they communicate, not just what they say, and show your findings in a chart, Venn diagram, or a compare-and-contrast essay.

Body of Work: Humanizing the Homeless by Leah den Bok

“Although my goal was to eliminate judgement, [before I presented the stories,] people would look at the photograph and judge the subject. They’d think, “Well, that person looks like an addict,” or “They look dangerous.” The stories make it harder to do that.”

Leah den Bok

Leah den Bok is a Canadian photographer and advocate best known for her Humanizing the Homeless project, a long-term portrait series aimed at challenging stereotypes around homelessness by emphasising dignity, personal stories, and shared humanity. Her work combines visual portraiture with personal narratives, reframing homeless individuals from faceless statistics to real human beings with unique stories. Den Bok’s portraits have been exhibited in Canada, the US, London, and elsewhere, and she has shared the stage with figures such as Prince Harry and Kofi Annan. In 2025, she received a Canadian Governor General’s meritorious service decoration for her work in humanizing homelessness.

Here you can find a small selection of photographic portraits from Leah den Bok’s series Humanizing the Homeless for you to study as a Body of Work. Her portraits are intimate and unflinching, often accompanied by personal stories that reveal the humanity behind the hardship. Rather than portraying individuals as faceless victims, Leah’s images emphasise dignity, resilience, and individuality. Her work reframes homelessness from an abstract social problem into something personal, encouraging empathy rather than pity. Her images have been compiled into the Nowhere to Call Home book series, with all proceeds donated to homeless shelters.

Towards Assessment: Individual Oral

Supported by an extract from one non-literary text and one from a literary work, students will offer a prepared response of 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of questions by the teacher, to the following prompt: Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the texts that you have studied. (40 marks)

Humanizing the Homeless would be an ideal Body of Work to discuss in this assessed activity. By using striking photographic images, Leah helps viewers see the human being behind homelessness, encouraging us to understand that poverty is more than just a social problem. You can investigate her work under the Field of Inquiry: Culture, Identity and Community, for example. Here are two suggestions as to how you might use this Body of Work to create a Global Issue. You can use one of these ideas, or develop your own. You should always be mindful of your own ideas and class discussions and follow the direction of your own thoughts, discussions and programme of study when devising your assessment tasks.

Towards Assessment: Higher Level Essay

Students submit an essay on one non-literary text or a collection of non-literary texts by one same author, or a literary text or work studied during the course. The essay must be 1,200-1,500 words in length. (20 marks).

If you are an HL student, you might consider using this text to write your HL Essay. Here are one or two examples of lines of inquiry suitable for this text – but remember to follow your own interests and the direction of your own class discussion to generate your own line of inquiry. It is not appropriate for students to submit responses to an essay question that has been assigned:

• How does Leah den Bok use portraiture to reframe poverty and homelessness as a personal rather than a social issue?

Paper 1 Text Type Focus: descriptive texts

Further Reading

• The Story We Tell About Poverty Isn’t True (talk by Mia Birdsong)
• The Luckiest Nut in the World (animated explainer about Senegal’s national debt)
• 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism (talk by Ha Joon Chang)
• Poverty Understood (talk by Dumisani Nyoni)
• Why It’s More Expensive to Be Poor (Twocents video explainer)
• The Grisly Truth About Benefits (letter to The Guardian)
• We Can End Poverty, But This Is Why We Haven’t (talk by Teva Sieniki)
• The Poverty Paradox (talk by Efosa Ojomo)
• Why Is It So Hard To Escape Poverty? (animated explainer by Ann-Helen Bay)
• Understanding Donor Fatigue (Not For Profit communication article)
• Should Charities Use Positive or Negative Empathy Appeals? (by Sally Peter at Medium)
• Humanitarianism in the Modern World (research paper at Cambridge University Press)
• Money is One Hell of a Drug (Money Talks podcast with Felix Salmon and James Frey)
• Legitimate Wealth? How Wealthy Business Owners are Portrayed in the Press (research paper at Tilburg University)
• The Great Conservative Myth: The Self-Made Man (article at Washington University Press)
• The Creepy Backstory to Horatio Algiers Bootstrap Capitalism (by Matthew Wills at Jstor Daily)
• Henry Clay and the ‘Self Made Man’ (Scioto-Historical blogpost)
• Revisiting Dickens (blog)
• The Victorian Poor (blogpost at Humans)
• How Poor Journalism Makes Life Harder (Ethical Journalism Network post)
• Media’s Role in Changing the Face of Poverty (by Sharon Green at Nieman Reports)
• Framing and Shaming (research paper)