OPPapers.com Essay Index >> Social Issues >> The Social Effect Of Rising Gas Prices On The Lower Class, And Small Business Owners
We have many free term papers and essays on The Social Effect Of Rising Gas Prices On The Lower Class, And Small Business Owners. We also have a wide variety of research papers and book reports available to you for free. You can browse our collection of term papers or use our search engine.
The Social Effect of Rising Gas Prices on The Lower Class, and Small Business
Owners. The Social Effect of Rising Gas Prices on The ...
... Rising gas prices; This is a subject we all know ... How does this effect the avrege
house hold ... Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic ...
... given the decision-making mechanisms, social customs, and ... a shift demand refers to
the effect of anything ... DTE Energy (2004) Rising Natural Gas Costs Retrieved ...
... and this has had a tremendous effect on the ... thus will feel few effects from rising
food prices ... food-related development aid, including social protection, child ...
... use the tax rebates to offset the rising gas prices, like after ... sid-31569.html •
9/11 caused social changes that ... The Internet has had a huge effect on the ...
Submitted by burton531 on September 26, 2006
Category: Social Issues
Words: 1258 | Pages: 6
Views: 483
Popularity Rank: 17,076
Average Member Grade: N/A (Add a Comment / Grade this Paper)
The Social Effect of Rising Gas Prices on The Lower Class, and Small Business Owners
One of the largest financial burdens on the lower class and small business owners over the past six years has been the steady rise in gas prices.
“Gas prices have been steadily rising for more than six years. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average retail price of gasoline in the United States in March of 1999 was $1.05 per gallon. The price has been rising ever since, with prices reaching over $2.50 per gallon in August, 2005” (Patricia Schaefer)
This steady rise is something that cannot be ignored by economist and sociologist alike. Emile Durkheim, a sociologist who founded the theory of functionalism would see the gap widening of the upper and lower class’s due to increased gas prices, as a natural change, needed to sustain life in the world.
The rise in prices have been felt all over the world, for a person who drives fifteen thousand miles a year with an average of twenty miles per gallon, a sixty cent price increase means an extra four hundred-fifty dollars per year in gasoline. ("High gas prices widen divide between rich and poor," 2005) This may not sound like a whole lot being only $37.50 a month, but to a family who may be on the verge of poverty, this could likely put them over the edge.
The sad thing is that the families who feel this burden are the same families that were forced to move out of the expensive cities into more of a suburban living to counteract rising housing costs. The increased commute to and from work is now starting to be the number one reason why gas price increases are turning out to be as dramatic as they are.
The flip side of this is that due to increased energy costs, many Americans are being forces to downscale and move closer to their places of employment in order to cut down on commute costs. (Timothy B. Wheeler, 2005) It’s turning into a lose, lose situation for the...
You must Login to view the entire paper.
If you are not a member yet, Sign Up for free!