The Negative Impact of Racial Polarization on Poverty, And How to Overcome it (presented 4 times) (original) (raw)

In comparison to all other industrialized countries, America has the highest rates of poverty. So, why is it that the world's top economic superpower has failed miserably in addressing the issue of poverty? Some believe that it is because our country was built on Lockean principles of private property, free market, and limited government. They would state that government does not have a role in fighting poverty. Others would say this is due to our political structure, mainly the two-party system, as well as the increasing role of money in politics. There is also a fairly large contingent of people that would say that America's values promote self-sufficiency, a diligent work ethic, and individual responsibility. While there is some truth in all of these three perspectives, my hypothesis is that is that issues and perceptions of race have played a major role in why America has generally been apathetic towards, and at times even against government action to reduce poverty. In terms of how race affects public policy issues, I will discuss the New Deal, civil rights legislation, the Great Society (especially the War on Poverty), and policies since then. Also, I will argue how since the New Deal all the way through the Reagan years, the perceptions of race on poverty has played a major role in elections, coalitions, and realignments. Finally, I will compare and contrast three types of possible solutions that could potentially reduce poverty in America: 1) class based policies targeted towards the poor, 2) race-based policies targeted towards the black and Hispanic communities, and 3) universal policies that are both class-neutral as well as race-neutral.