Poverty in the Land of Plenty

Is There a Cure?

Why do we have poverty in one of the richest countries in the world? There is a social stratification of sorts in every culture. Some social groups are divided by age; other social groups are divided by money. In a society driven by economics there will always be a lower class and a poverty line. Americans, as a whole, are worth close to 26 trillion dollars. Of that amount, sixty-eight percent is owned by ten percent of the families and forty percent of assets are owned by one percent of the population.

In the United States, we love to believe that anyone can rise above their current situation. The rags to riches stories inspire us. Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, started his company out of a garage. Government grants and loans offer an education to those who would otherwise remain in low pay, long hour occupations. Welfare and Medical assistance is also offered. One problem with this is that an individual must have ambitions toward something greater. Poverty is not only a physical state of being but a frame of mind. If a person getting assistance, either through education grants or welfare, is not striving to improve their situation, than they will always be poor. I do acknowledge that not everyone has these opportunities. Single mothers with no family or friends living nearby to watch their children, may have a harder time going to school. Also men who must work long hours to support a struggling family may have difficulty finding time to further their education. The system is not flawless.