matthew desmond evicted poverty and profit in the american city

does not have the highest rate of absolute deprivation among advanced democracies. is “the richest country on earth, with more poverty than any other advanced democracy.” In fact, the U.S. And he wrongly believes that the United States has significant levels of extreme poverty.Ĭonsider Desmond’s claim that the U.S.

He fails to acknowledge the progress made in reducing poverty over the past several decades. He generally relies on the official poverty measure, which does not account for most of the government programs that provide aid to low-income Americans, a fact that most serious poverty researchers recognize. Less than 2 percent of poor people are homeless at any point in time.ĭesmond proceeds to misrepresent the poverty population with incorrect data. Among poor adults aged 18 to 64, less than 10 percent worked full-time, year-round in 2021. Though harrowing, such stories do not represent “the kind of problem poverty is.” The vast majority of poor people don’t abuse illegal drugs, don’t work double shifts or even full-time jobs, and aren’t homeless. The second recounts the struggles of a homeless and severely mentally ill woman. The first features a hardworking 55-year-old father who snorts speedballs (a mixture of cocaine and other drugs) to stay awake during his double shifts. In a chapter titled “The Kind of Problem Poverty is,” he starts with two anecdotes. Desmond often fails to engage seriously with this research, and as a result, his policy recommendations are unproductive.ĭesmond opens with a failed attempt to define and measure poverty. Unfortunately, these largely serve as window dressing. While the book reads like a narrative strewn together from talking points borrowed from political advocates, it contains a surprisingly extensive set of notes that reference serious research. Opting for tropes over scientific research, Desmond’s explanations range from irrelevant to backward. The book’s original sin is its confused understanding of poverty’s causes. Sadly, Desmond’s latest offering, Poverty, by America, provides little of value to readers looking to learn more about poverty in the United States and how to reduce it. Though it didn’t get everything right, it was an important book. Illuminating and thought-provoking, its ethnographic accounts of deep struggle spurred new research and increased policy focus on the links between poverty and housing instability.

Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond’s previous book, Evicted, offered a compelling account of poverty in America. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond (Crown, 304 pp., $28)

Matthew desmond evicted poverty and profit in the american city