Book Review: Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
This new study on poverty in the United States and what to do about it is by the author of the brilliant study Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. In Evicted, Desmond focuses on about a dozen Milwaukee residents who struggle to survive amidst deep poverty. In Poverty, By America, he gives a more general overview about the national problem of poverty and suggests solutions based upon a wealth of research. In fact, the notes delineating his research sources comprise about a third of the book. That’s not to say that the book is dry and overly academic – not at all. Desmond is intent on explaining poverty in a way that everyone can understand, and for the most part he succeeds. His author’s photo on the back flap is, to me, symbolic of his integrity. He is not draped in a suit and tie with a goofy grin pasted onto his face; instead, he wears an unpretentious black tee-shirt and has an intent and determined expression. Compared to most author photos we see these days, it radiates sincerity and resolve.
One thing that occurred to me as I read this book is that the people who need it most probably wouldn’t touch it. It made me ask myself whether it really does any good to bring these things to light when the audience of readers will be mostly sympathetic souls. Well, of course it is better to know these things rather than not know them, because we can all be part of the solution instead of the passive see-no-evil problem. I can’t really attempt a comprehensive summary of his ideas, but in a nutshell, he points out that middle class and rich Americans obtain far more government assistance than the poor. This is one of the glaring faults of the system that keeps the poor oppressed. For example, the well-off obtain many billions of dollars in mortgage assistance; this is out of reach of the poor because banks are reluctant to approve mortgages for smaller, more affordable homes. Additionally, poverty could be all but eliminated if the rich simply paid their fair share in taxes instead of utilizing all sorts of evasive loopholes. It reminds me of recent news stories of the IRS wanting to hire more investigators to close some of these loopholes, but a mob of corrupt politicians protested loudly that these investigators were an unnecessary expense. How can that be true when they could have added multi-billions of withheld and hidden taxes to the treasury?
Desmond emphasizes that the most powerful are responsible for the vast problem of American poverty. These include “political elites” who have ignored the plight of low-income Americans, “corporate bosses” who prioritize profit over the welfare of their workers, lobbyists for special interests, and property owners who have made housing unaffordable for the working class. To remedy this horrific situation, says Desmond, we have to invest in programs to mitigate poverty, empower the poor by providing them with decent wages and workers’ unions and good schools and decent housing and assistance in reproductive planning, and allow affordable housing to coexist with more affluent homes in nice neighborhoods. In his epilog, Desmond challenges readers to take action to end poverty in America, which is, in fact, an achievable goal if we go about it the right way and with the proper motivation and attitude. I’ve been poor much of my life; I know how it is to struggle for sufficient resources to survive, and also, in better times, how much more liberating it is to breathe a sigh of relief when basic needs are supplied. This book is a call to arms in the war on poverty, and we should all take heed.
