How Malthusian ideology crept into the newsroom: British tabloids and the coverage of the ‘underclass’

Abstract

: This article argues that Malthusianism as a series of discursive regimes, developed in the Victorian-era, serves in times of austerity to reproduce an elite understanding of social exclusion in which those in a state of poverty are to blame for their own situation. It highlights that Malthusianism is present in the public discourse, becoming an underlining feature in news coverage of the so- called ‘ underclass ’ . Our findings broadly contradict the normative claim that journalism ‘speaks truth to power’, and suggest instead that overall as a political practice, journalism tends to reproduce and reinforce hegemonic discourses of power. The piece is based on critical discourse analysis (CDA), which has been applied to a significant sample of news articles published by tabloid newspapers in Britain which focussed on the concept of the ‘ underclass ’ . By looking at the evidence, the authors argue that the ‘underclass’ is a concept used by some journalists to ca st people living in poverty as ‘undeserving’ of public and state support. In so doing, these journalists help create a narr ative which supports cuts in welfare provisions and additional punitive measures against some of the most vulnerable members of society.