On August 14, the Los Angeles Times reported on a recent survey of American attitudes about the poor and poverty. I found the results revealing.
Of particular interest, the report challenged the official definition of poverty:
Asked to estimate the poverty line for a family of four, those polled, on average, put it at just over $32,000, which is about a third higher than the actual figure of just over $24,000. The public’s figure may be more realistic, however; many poverty experts think the official level is far too low.
Those polled also estimated that about 40% of Americans live below the poverty line – far more than the actual figure of 15%. Again, though, the public may have the clearer view.
In terms of attitudes toward poor people, the article curiously said:
Criticism of the poor – a belief that there are “plenty of jobs available for poor people,” that government programs breed dependency and that most poor people would “prefer to stay on welfare” – is especially common among the blue-collar, white Americans….
But when asked if poor people “prefer to stay on welfare” or would “rather earn their own living,” Americans by a large majority, 61%-36%, said they believed the poor would rather earn their own way. And a majority of whites, 52%, without a college degree agree with that proposition.
So though non-college whites are more likely to voice criticism of the poor, it seems misleading to say it is “especially common.”
It was also interesting that only a third of self-described conservatives say that the poor do not work very hard.
And less than one in five Americans said the poor themselves bear the greatest responsibility for “taking care of the poor.” Sources of support that were affirmed, to varying degrees, were the government, family, churches and charities.
So all in all, it seems Americans may be less prone to blame the poor for being poor that I had thought. They may be more compassionate and understanding than that. And if one-third or more of Americans live in poverty, compassion and understanding are in order.