Poverty's Already History
24 June 2006
Editor, The Boston Globe
Dear Editor:
Robert Kuttner applauds John Edwards's call to end poverty in America within the next three decades ("Survival of the richest," June 24). Mr. Edwards is too late. Absolute poverty in America ended long ago. Today, no American starves to death. None are forced by circumstances to wear only homespun clothing while working on subsistence farms. Even the poorest American now enjoys a life-expectancy twice that of our pre-industrial ancestors.
Relative poverty, in contrast, is very real. It is also unconquerable. Mr. Edwards's efforts, therefore, although trumpeted with soaring oratory, at best are either pointless or futile.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Editor, The Boston Globe
Dear Editor:
Robert Kuttner applauds John Edwards's call to end poverty in America within the next three decades ("Survival of the richest," June 24). Mr. Edwards is too late. Absolute poverty in America ended long ago. Today, no American starves to death. None are forced by circumstances to wear only homespun clothing while working on subsistence farms. Even the poorest American now enjoys a life-expectancy twice that of our pre-industrial ancestors.
Relative poverty, in contrast, is very real. It is also unconquerable. Mr. Edwards's efforts, therefore, although trumpeted with soaring oratory, at best are either pointless or futile.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Monday April 2, 2007 at 5:45pm