Society's Social Problems (Essay Sample)

Social Problems in Societies
In the world today, the well-being of the society is undermined by problems that arise from differences in opinions regarding cultural practices, religion, political issues and other health concerns. Social issues are therefore regarded to as inevitable and various societies around the world experience them (Mulroy and Austin, 2004). Problems such as poverty, unemployment, drug abuse, discrimination, homelessness, violence, crime and environmental degradation occur when people come together in a social setting. Here, the most troubling social problems are addressed in a sociological perspective and how they affect the society in whole.
Poverty is a state of having insufficient money to buy the most necessary things in life; it is a social problem when a significant portion of a population lives below the poverty line. According to (Michael, 2006), by individual behavioral characteristics and choices, social and political forces can cause poverty. Also, dysfunctional markets and economic underdevelopment can result in poverty. People who cannot get proper means of employment may opt to engage in illegal and destructive ways such as theft or burglary. Moreover, poverty is a primary cause of hunger and malnutrition which is responsible for a broad range of health issues such as diseases and increased childhood deaths. These effects create a population which is not productive, creating a massive burden on the economy. Food, housing, and health resources are stretched in an economy causing a great transfer of income from the privileged to the poor.
Drug abuse is also a major social problem since it not only impacts an individual abuser but also to the society as a whole. According to (Bancroft and Wilson, 2012), society pays a high price for drug abuse in the form of health issues, medical expenses, family or domestic violence and increased crime rates. Substance abuse especially among the youth, according to studies, leads to increased rates of conflicts and violent crimes. Alcohol is a commonly abused drug in society, and it has caused a high percentage of instances of domestic violence regarding verbal or physical abuse of children or spouses. Moreover, alcohol causes an addiction among its users, thus heavy drinkers divert economic resources to satisfy their need rather than using it to develop the family. Drug abuse is, therefore, a primary concern to the society