Answer to Question #230437 in Sociology for NEO

Question

Unemployment may be considered a social problem in SA because (indicate which criteria for a social problem are met)

Answer 1

Unemployment may be considered a social problem in SA because (indicate which criteria for a social problem are met)

The recent data on the rate of unemployment stands at 29% and in some communities, it is even at 50%. The consequences of unemployment in a given community affect both the individual and the social life. Individual impacts may lead to psychological stress, substance abuse, and depression. The social effects of unemployment include; marginalization, stigmatization, and unfair treatment from society.

Based on this, unemployment in South Africa can be considered to be a social problem since it meets the following criteria.

1        The rate of unemployment has been considered a public outcry with many organizations and the government trying to discuss ways of mitigating it.

2        The condition has involved a gap in the social ideals, such as the rapid increases of substance abuse as a consequence of unemployment. Substance abuse was once considered to be a social problem but with the current life, many unemployed individuals have taken up the culture of substance abuse to escape the reality.

3        The rate of unemployment is very high affecting a large population of South Africans and this has led to more concern being raised to discuss its effects and solution.

4        The problem of unemployment has a solution that both the government and the non-governmental institutions can discuss and come up with a long-run solution to unemployment in South Africa.