the absence or inadequacy of those diets, amenities, standards, services and
activities which are common or customary in society. People are deprived of the
conditions of life which customarily define membership of society
This is a complex idea: it combines the Marxist view with a comparative standard, based on
objective circumstances, and the idea of 'relative deprivation', which is based in attitudes.
It has been influential in the study of social policy, but it is not uncontentious. It is robustly
rejected by Joseph (a former Conservative Secretary of State responsible for Health and
Social Security) and Sumption: