Lang III - Essay I

Task:
You have applied for the position of researcher with a TV company that prepares docummentaries about problems in our country. In addition to submitting your letter of application and CV, you have been requested to produce an essay on one of the following issues: water shortage, insecurity, poverty, illegal substance abuse. Your essay has to include:

- an overview of the chosen issue

- its consequences

- your evaluation of the solutions that have been proposed so far or that should be proposed.

Write your essay.

10/09/2010

POVERTY has become one of the most burning issues in our country. About 30 per cent of the population is currently living under the poverty line. They suffer from hunger and they lack not only shelter but also access to education and job opportunities. To make matters worse, the consequences of poverty are felt in our society as a whole; it seems that over the last years this issue has lead to an increase on the abuse of illegal substances and also and consequently on crime rates.

As social tension in Argentina grows higher and higher, it also becomes more obvious that action to solve the problem of poverty should be immediately taken. This is why some people, who believe that marginality is the product of high income inequality levels and that it should be battled by means of a fairer distribution of wealth, have pronounced themselves in favor of a reorientation of government expenditure towards the provision of quality services for the community; they believe that a more inclusive society requires that everyone should have access to benefits such as adequate health care and education.

However, although this argument has a superficial logic to it, we must acknowledge that for people to access such benefits, they need to earn a reasonable minimum wage income; it is therefore clear that further action should be taken. Personally, I believe that it would be sensible for the State to ensure a higher minimum income for the population.