Quote:
Originally Posted by Aryan_
I'll believe the Somalian when he actually goes go back to Somalia over America.
Absolute and relative poverty:
"Absolute poverty refers to those without the basic necessities to sustain human health. These people do not have their basic needs met in relation to food, warmth, water and shelter. Families are in absolute poverty when their incomes are insufficient to obtain the minimum necessity for the maintenance of physical efficiency. Relative poverty has been defined as the inability of a citizen to participate fully in economic terms in the society in which he or she lives. Both absolute and relative poverty are common and persistent in less developed third world nations, whereas usually relative poverty is the sole form of poverty in more industrialised nations such as the America. When comparing between nations consideration must be taken not to be misled, as definitions of poverty can differ significantly."
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It is not true that absolute poverty has been abolished in the USA. If you've been to any major American city, you would see that. If one cannot afford the basic necessities of life... that means that people who are on assistance in the USA (meaning they get food stamps and perhaps a housing stipend) are experiencing absolute poverty. It just so happens that there is a system set up to help them slightly. You know there are working families living in homeless shelters with their children don't you? They cannot afford to feed, clothe, and house their families, so that would mean they are experiencing absolute poverty, as your definition itself says. You know also that the American welfare system is only supposed to help you meet your absolute most basic needs right? You can't use food stamps to buy cigarettes, and there are tons and tons of food items which you can't purchase with food stamps.
Go to Seattle, and go visit the people who sit and beg under the Ballard bridge. Go to the University district and talk with the guy who begs by the Post Office, or the lady who collects cans by the north Aurora Jo-Ann Fabric store. Absolute poverty exists in the USA, and it's ranks are swelling. These days it's not only Vietnam vets, drugs addicts and Schizophrenics who are homeless and can't afford to feed their families, it's also working class people with children. It's huge problem in this country, and nobody is adressing it. Hurricaine Katrina just made it more public, and there are tons of people trying to sweep Hurricaine Katrina under the rug too.