1. Poverty in America
CH.8 Sections 4

2. Measuring Poverty
Absolute Poverty: the absence of enough money to secure life’s necessities
Life’s Necessities
Food
Shelter
Drinkable Water

3. Measuring Poverty (Cont.)
Relative Poverty: based on the economic disparity between those at the bottom of a society and the rest of society

4. Identifying the Poor About 70% of the poor in America are white
However, that is only about 6% of the total white population

5. Indentifying the Poor (Cont.)
African Americans and Latinos account for about 25-27% of U.S. population
Together they comprise 25-30% of total poor population

6. Women and Poverty Over half of the poor households are headed by women
Poverty rate for households headed by single mothers is 32%
11% for all other households

7. A Growing Problem
Feminization of Poverty: trend in U.S. society in which women and children make up an increasing proportion of the poor
Reasons?

8. Responses to the Problem of Poverty
The Great Depression (1930s)
Started many government funded programs
Social Security
Back to Work Programs

10. Responses to the Problem of Poverty (Cont.)
War on Poverty (1964)
Started by Lyndon Johnson
Idea based that people would use aid from government to get back on their feet
Do people become dependent on aid?

11. Welfare Reform (1996)
Limits the amount of time those physically able to work can spend on welfare
Increases the burden on the states

13. Does Welfare Work? Minimum Wage vs. Living Wage
Single Parents and Child Care