How can critical theory explain why modern societies do not do more to fight poverty? An analysis with the critical theory of the Frankfurt School

Essay aus dem Jahr 2016 im Fachbereich Philosophie - Philosophie des 20. Jahrhunderts / Gegenwart, Note: 1,0, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Poverty has always been a condition for many human beings throughout history. Advanced societies do not produce poverty, but they also do not make large efforts to overcome it. This essay will explore why society fails to meet the very basic material needs of many people, such as shelter and food. Today, still around one billion people live below the poverty line of US$ 1.90 per day, although we technically have the resources to reduce this figure drastically. Capitalism promises increasing wealth and prosperity for everyone, but for many people this remains an empty promise. In this essay I will demonstrate how the critical theory of the Frankfurt school provides valuable reasons for why people in modern society do not make a larger effort to fight poverty. The protagonists of the Frankfurt school have focused in their writings on how 20th-century Western society fails to meet higher human needs such as freedom, love and a sense of identity.