How the Richest Country in the World Allows Its Poor to Remain Poor

Sociologist Matthew Desmond highlights that poverty in the United States is intricately linked with issues such as racism, mass incarceration, the housing crisis, domestic violence, gun violence, the opioid epidemic, welfare cuts, and social isolation. In his book *Poverty, By America* (2023), Desmond explores how a wealthy society can allow its poor members to remain impoverished. Despite being the richest country globally, with California’s economy surpassing Canada’s and New York’s exceeding South Korea’s, the U.S. has more poverty than any other developed nation. The number of poor in the U.S. exceeds the entire population of Australia.
Desmond notes that U.S. poverty levels over time resemble “gently rolling hills,” indicating virtually no change or “fifty years of nothing.” Despite significant advancements, such as the eradication of smallpox, genome mapping, and the invention of the internet, America still has one in seven people living in poverty.
Last year, while on a fellowship in Oxford, I encountered the harsh reality of poverty in a developed country. Amid the beautiful, historic college buildings and scenic autumn landscapes, I saw a homeless man huddled on a pavement with a sleeping bag and cardboard sheet. Coming from India, this sight was both mystifying and deeply troubling, highlighting the failure to create a more equal society despite the brilliance within those dreaming spires.

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