Poverty and Welfare SystemsSS 2011

• A global perspective of poverty• The cycle of poverty• The American policy -or lack of one- to

combat poverty ("Punishing the Poor")

• (Racial) groups and poverty• The working poor• Debate topic: Guaranteed Income

Some of your views"Getting a job will raise a person out of poverty."

Agree: 55% Disagree: 28%

"If a healthy adult person is poor, it is probably his/her own fault."

Agree: 14% Disagree: 66%

"There is no true poverty in Austria."Agree: 3% Disagree: 90%

Some of your views"Most black people in the US are poor."

Agree: 28% Disagree: 45%

"Racism is not a problem in Austria."Agree: 3% Disagree: 90%

"Austria is a multicultural society."Agree: 28% Disagree: 66%

If our world were a village of 1000 people, what would its ethnic and religious composition be?

Source: http:/www.worldvillage.org

How many of the 1000 people would be . . .

The Global Village

Asian? European?African?South American? North American? Other?

How many of the 1000 people would be . . .

The Global Village

Asian? European?African?South American? North American? Other?

610120 (50+ Russians)13080 (50)50 (80)10

How many of the 1000 people would be . . .

The Global Village

Christians? Atheists (or non-religious)? Moslems?Hindus?Buddhists?Jews?Other (e.g. Animists)?

How many of the 1000 people would be . . .

The Global Village

Christians?? Atheists (or non-religious)? Moslems?Hindus?Buddhists?Jews?Other (e.g. Animists)?

330160180140603127

The Global Village

would control 3/4 of the total income?

would be hungry?

would live in sub-standard housing?

would have access to clean water?

would be college educated?

adults would be illiterate (coudn’t read)?

How many of the 1000 people . . .

The Global Village

would control 3/4 of the total income?

would be hungry?

would live in sub-standard housing?

would have access to clean water?

would be college educated?

adults would be illiterate (coudn’t read)?

< 100

500

800

330

< 10

335

How many of the 1000 people . . .

The Global Village /Miniature Earth

would have a secondary education?

would have a computer?

would have an internet connection?

would have a bank account?

would live on less than $1 a day?

would live on less than $2 a day?

70

120

30

300

180

530

How many of the 1000 people . . .

Relevant Links:

The Miniature Earth (Update- 2010)http

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6eTr4ldDYg&feature=related

"The BBs of Wealth"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVwftZ8SK64 )

"Who Owns America‘s Wealth " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDx8G8Z-PFM&feature=related

The Global Rich Listhttp://www.globalrichlist.com/

Source: http://www.wider.unu.edu/events/past-events/2006-events/en_GB/05-12-2006/_files/78079217418699128/default/wider-wdhw-press-release-5-12-2006.pdf

Some of your views"The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting

poorer."Agree: 90% Disagree: 7%

"Opening up their markets will help developing countries."

Agree: 55% Disagree: 31%"Globalization is a natural development that can't be

stopped."Agree: 48% Disagree: 38%

"A flexible workforce is a good thing."Agree: 66% Disagree: 17%

breakdown of family

poor housing

poor education

lack of job skills

financial distress

proximity to crime

The Cycle of Poverty

Source: Bureau of Justice

Punishing the Poor

The Kerner ReportThe Kerner commission was formed by President Johnson after race riots in 1967. Business, political and civil rights leaders were asked to investigate the nation’s ethnic tensions. Their report was the nation’s first comprehensive look at race issues in the U.S. and it was the federal government’s first official document that said racism existed and was a problem.

The Kerner Report

The Kerner report predicted that the economic and racial divide would grow:

“White society is deeply implicated in the ghetto . . . White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it.”

Poverty and

(Racial) Groupings

2008 Statistics

Source: US Census Bureau and the American

Community Survey

3.75.56.18.6

10.2Families 10.3

11.211.6

All people 13.213.819

20.823.223.323.624.625.328.331.454

Poverty and

(Racial) Groupings

2008 Statistics

Source: US Census Bureau and the American

Community Survey

Bachelor's degree or more 3.7Married couples 5.5Employed 6.1

8.610.2

Families 10.311.211.6

All people 13.213.819

20.823.223.323.624.625.3

Unemployed 28.3Single female householders 31.4Children under 6 w/ female householder 54

Top and

Bottom 3

Poverty and

(Racial) Groupings

2008 Statistics

Source: US Census Bureau and the American

Community Survey

3.7Married couples 5.5

6.18.6

10.2Families 10.3

11.211.6

All people 13.2Single male householders 13.8

1920.823.223.323.624.625.328.3

Single female householders 31.4Children under 6 w/ female householder 54

Gender and

Family

Status

Poverty and

(Racial) Groupings

2008 Statistics

Source: US Census Bureau and the American

Community Survey

3.75.56.1

Non-Hispanic Whites 8.6Foreign-born citizens 10.2Families 10.3Whites 11.2Asians 11.6All people 13.2

13.819

20.8Hispanics 23.2Foreign-born non-citizens 23.3

23.6Blacks 24.6American Indians + Alaskans 25.3

28.331.454

Race and

Origin

Poverty and

(Racial) Groupings

2008 Statistics

Source: US Census Bureau and the American

Community Survey

Bachelor's degree or more 3.7Married couples 5.5Employed 6.1Non-Hispanic Whites 8.6Foreign-born citizens 10.2Families 10.3Whites 11.2Asians 11.6All people 13.2Single male householders 13.8Children under 18 19Children under 6 20.8Hispanics 23.2Foreign-born non-citizens 23.3No high school graduation 23.6Blacks 24.6American Indians + Alaskans 25.3Unemployed 28.3Single female householders 31.4Children under 6 w/ female householder 54

2009 Update

Source: US Census Bureau and the American

Community Survey

Bachelor's degree or more 3.7 4.5Married couples 5.5 5.8Employed 6.1Non-Hispanic Whites 8.6 9.4Foreign-born citizens 10.2 10.8Families 10.3 11.1Whites 11.2 12.3Asians 11.6 12.5All people 13.2 14.3Single male householders 13.8 16.9Children under 18 19 20.7Children under 6 20.8 23.8Hispanics 23.2 25.3Foreign-born non-citizens 23.3 25.1No high school graduation 23.6 24.7Blacks 24.6 25.8American Indians + Alaskans 25.3Unemployed 28.3Single female householders 31.4 29.9Children under 6 w/ female

householder54 54.3

Bachelor's degree or more 3.7Married couples 5.5Employed 6.1Non-Hispanic Whites 8.6Foreign-born citizens 10.2Families 10.3Whites 11.2Asians 11.6All people 13.2Single male householders 13.8Children under 18 19Children under 6 20.8Hispanics 23.2Foreign-born non-citizens 23.3No high school graduation 23.6Blacks 24.6American Indians + Alaskans 25.3Unemployed 28.3Single female householders 31.4Children under 6 w/ female householder 54

Now compare the Poverty rates for . . .

A married black man

A white single mother

of young children

An American of

Austrian descent

(married)

Bachelor's degree or more 3.7Married couples 5.5Employed 6.1Non-Hispanic Whites 8.6Foreign-born citizens 10.2Families 10.3Whites 11.2Asians 11.6All people 13.2Single male householders 13.8Children under 18 19Children under 6 20.8Hispanics 23.2Foreign-born non-citizens 23.3No high school graduation 23.6Blacks 24.6American Indians + Alaskans 25.3Unemployed 28.3Single female householders 31.4Children under 6 w/ female householder 54

Now compare the Poverty rates for . . .

A married black man

A white single mother

of young children

An American of

Austrian descent

(married)

(1.6 %)

Reagan/Bush 1

Reagan/Bush 1

Clinton

Bush 2

Gallup Poll Findings 2004 / (1997)

Americans who said they approved of interracial marriage:

• Whites: 70%• Blacks: 80%• Hispanics: 77%

(1958: whites - 4%)

Gallup Poll Findings 2004 / (1997)

Americans who said they would vote for a black president:

• Whites: 91%• Blacks: 93%• Hispanics: -- (these results are from the 1997 survey

when Hispanics were not asked separately)

(1958: blacks – 76%, whites - 35%)

Gallup Poll Findings 2004 / (1997)

Americans who said they had close personal friends of other races:

• Whites: 82%• Blacks: 88%• Hispanics: 80%

Gallup Poll Findings 2004 / (1997)

Americans who said they prefer to work alongside a racially mixed group:

• Whites: 82%• Blacks: 88%• Hispanics: --

Gallup Poll Findings 2004 / (1997)

Americans who said they prefer to live in a racially mixed neighborhood:

• Whites: 57%• Blacks: 78%• Hispanics: 61%

Gallup Poll Findings 2004 / (1997)

Americans who said the civil rights movement was "extremely" or "very" important for the United States:

• Whites: 79%• Blacks: 92%• Hispanics: 77%

1997 Levels of Satisfaction (% Satisfied) Blacks Whites Gap

Way things Going in U.S. 44 51 7

Way Things Going in Personal Life 74 87 13

Income 53 72 19

Standard of Living 74 87 13

Housing 75 90 15

Job or Work 73 86 13

Education, Preparing for Job 68 75 7

Gallup Poll Findings

“The trend data suggest that the gaps in satisfaction between whites and blacks on many of these measures have been narrowing significantly over time, and this marks one of the more significant findings of the study. “

(The gap is narrowing because black satisfaction levels have increased over the past years and white satisfaction levels have stayed about the same.)

“The Millennium Breach”

This report was released by a private urban-policy group, the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Kerner report. It basically states that the Kerner predictions have come true.

“While leaders and pundits talk of full employment, inner city unemployment is at crisis levels. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, and minorities are suffering disproportionately.”

“The Millennium Breach”Some statistics from the report:

• The national unemployment rate is below 5%, but the rates for young African American men in places like south-central Los Angeles have topped 30%

• The national incarceration rate of black men is four times higher than the same rate in South Africa under apartheid

• The child poverty rate is four times the average of western European countries

“The Millennium Breach”

Measures that workHead Startafter-school youth centersurban school reformjob traininginner city economic development

Measures that don’tenterprise zonesprison constructionboot campssupply-side economicstax breaks for the richtrickle-down theories