English Literature

In her book, Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting by in America, Barbara Ehrenreich sheds her doctoral degree and comfortable social status by working in various low-income jobs in Florida, Maine, and Minnesota.  She cannot find a full-time job so she takes in several jobs. She realizes that all low-income workers are not that unskilled because of abilities demanded, such as having stamina and providing constant emotional labor. The main argument of the book is that low-income workers are modern-day slaves because of social inequality, repression from the corporate policies and practices, and the feeling of being trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty.  Based on what Ehrenreich pointed out, it can be inferred that low-income people are discriminated upon, if not marginalized. There are several factors that could explain this marginalization although they are not absolute and are relative to a particular case.  The most obvious of these is the socio-economic condition these workers live under which is below the poverty line.  Because of their conditions, they could not afford to go to school, let alone finish (at least) high school to get a decent job.

Their lack of at least a high school degree could not land them a decent job.  As a result, they are compelled to take jobs that do not pay very high.  It would not be proper to compare them to other high-school age youths who take similar jobs in order to make some money. These are people who may come from better off families but they still take these jobs as a rite of passage to show they can be independent and self-sufficient. The same cannot be said to these lower-income folks who have families of their own to raise, and in several cases, they have families under not-so-normal circumstances, such as broken families led by a single parent. They are driven by survival which is why they would take whatever job is offered, and in order to augment the meager income, they would take another job. As another austerity measure, they would cut down on unnecessary expenses (Ehrenreich 27). Because of their lack of education, they are not aware of their rights should they be fired or laid off work.

It would be very convenient to blame the capitalist system for the plight of these people. Looking at it from a Marxist perspective, those who are less educated are the ones easy to exploit hence, they end up taking jobs considered dirty, difficult, and sometimes dangerous. Business owners are seen to treat them as less than human and are only useful as long as they do their jobs and nothing more. As Ehrenreich would put it, See, I am the vacuum cleaner (74). Low-income workers are modern-day slaves because of the experience of repression from the corporate policies and practices. At the same token, due to the cut-throat nature of competitiveness, their lack of education not only prevents them from getting a more decent job, but they are not given career advancement like a promotion. Ehrenreich points it out that companies see the perceived need for repressive management and intrusive measures (212).  Because of this, they are trapped not only in a hand-to-mouth existence, but also in the vicious cycle of poverty with no chance for upward social mobility. Ehrenreich stresses this point when she said, If you cant put up the two months rent you need to secure an apartment, you end up paying through the nose for a room by the week (199). As a result of this, more and more people line up social welfare centers seeking help from the government to augment their meager income to make up for the expenses they have to pay.

In conclusion, it could be said the conditions of low-income people are one of the detrimental features of the capitalist system. While it does offer equal opportunity for one to eke out a living and prosper, this is advantageous to those who are more educated and skilled who can market themselves and get paid better. It would be tempting to encourage the establishment of a system akin to Europes welfare state which can take care of these people, but the price to be paid would be higher taxes. These people also need to be educated of their rights as well. Empowerment is their best defense against exploitation, and there is the Better Business Bureau and other organizations that can provide the necessary assistance.