Dr. Shirley BrowningDr. Shirley BrowningJanuary 23, 2009 • January 23, 2009 • University of North Carolina, Asheville• Humanities 414 Common Lecture

Poverty& PlentyPoverty& Plenty

Who gets How Much? of What? Why? Does it Matter?

How much of what “should” a person have or have access to in order How much of what “should” a person have or have access to in order to live an “appropriate” life style. to live an “appropriate” life style.

What is necessary in terms of food, housing, clothing, transportation, What is necessary in terms of food, housing, clothing, transportation, health care, education, etc.?health care, education, etc.?

Explain what you mean by: “Should” and “Appropriate.” Explain what you mean by: “Should” and “Appropriate.”

What criteria are you using?What criteria are you using?

What are the characteristics of Poverty?What are the characteristics of Poverty?

1989 1995 20081989 1995 2008

Just to get by: $20,000 $25,500 ??Just to get by: $20,000 $25,500 ??

Reasonable comfort: $30,000 $41,100 ??Reasonable comfort: $30,000 $41,100 ??

Fulfill your Dreams: $75,000 $102,200 ??Fulfill your Dreams: $75,000 $102,200 ??

SUGAR:

“…not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough don’t it?”

From: The Lesson, From: The Lesson, Tony Cade Bambara 1972Tony Cade Bambara 1972

Manhattan NY Incomes

$365,826

$1

$7,047

2 cents

Top 1/5 Bottom 1/5:

Lorenz Curves for Income and WealthLorenz Curves for Income and Wealth

Line of Line of equalityequality

incomeincome

wealthwealth

2006 / 2007 Median US Household

Incomes

$65,652 (New Hampshire)

$36,499 (Mississippi)

$49,901 (US)

Lifespan (b. 2004)

Andora (between France and Spain) = 83.5 years Japan = 82 France = 80.4 Macau = 82 Switzerland = 80.3 US = 77.9 years (lifespan #42 in the world but wealth #1 in world)

Africa /Middle East = range (34.1 (Swaziland) – 42.5 (Afghanistan)

Poverty vs. Wealth: Quality of Life Indicators

African Americans lifespan is 5 years shorter than White Americans (African American Men = 69.8 slightly longer than Iran and Syria and slightly shorter than Nicaragua and Morocco)

Poverty vs. Wealth: Quality of Life Indicators

40 countries Cuba, Taiwan, and most of Europe had lower infant mortality rates than the U.S. in 2004 (U.S. rate = 6.8 / 1000 births; 13.7 for African Americans (the same as Saudi Arabia)

Poverty vs. Wealth: Quality of Life Indicators

1/3 of U.S. adults (20+ yrs) obese

2/3 of U.S. adults overweight

Poverty vs. Wealth: Quality of Life Indicators

All humans appear to prefer to be free to make choices; and live a All humans appear to prefer to be free to make choices; and live a personally secure life.personally secure life.

Failure to accomplish these universals for large masses of human beings is Failure to accomplish these universals for large masses of human beings is dangerous-dangerous-

Point: Is it appropriate for all human beings to have equal access ; Point: Is it appropriate for all human beings to have equal access ; Shares ? Equal distributions of $’s and things? Should we all have:Shares ? Equal distributions of $’s and things? Should we all have:

A beach house?A beach house? The Same living space (sq ft / person); educational opportunities? Health The Same living space (sq ft / person); educational opportunities? Health

care opportunities? Income? Wealth? Etc.care opportunities? Income? Wealth? Etc.

Is this a question of morality?Is this a question of morality?

A question of good vs. bad?A question of good vs. bad?

Is strict equality a human right?Is strict equality a human right?

Lorenz Curves for Income and WealthLorenz Curves for Income and Wealth

Line of Line of equalityequality

incomeincome

wealthwealth

From Star Trek: (as presented in Michael Shermer’s The Science of Good & Evil, 2004.)

Alien: There can be no peace. Don’t you see? We’ve admitted it to ourselves. We are a killer species. It’s instinctive. It’s the same with you.

Captain Kirk: All right, it’s instinctive. But the instinctive can be fought. We are human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it. We can admit that we are killers but we’re not going to kill … today. That’s all it takes --- knowing that you’re not going to kill … today.

From this we might conclude that at the core:

We are simultaneously moral and we are immoral. It is a matter of choice and control.

When the distribution of resources is drastically unequal

violence emerges.

TANSTAAFL

Life is more than material accumulation; Life is more than material accumulation; however spiritual wealth to some extent however spiritual wealth to some extent depends on some basic level of material depends on some basic level of material wealth in order to sustain life at some level wealth in order to sustain life at some level of quality and dignity.of quality and dignity.

Spiritual poverty can occur simultaneously with Spiritual poverty can occur simultaneously with material wealth, but spiritual wealth seldom material wealth, but spiritual wealth seldom exists when one is starving, homeless,, and exists when one is starving, homeless,, and without the means to sustain life.without the means to sustain life.

Gross Domestic Product (billions of Dollars)

15,000

10,000

5,000

01940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

SOURCE: FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF ST. LOUIS

World Per Capita GDP - $7,958

World Per Capita GDP (17% of US - down from last data reporting)

U.S. Per Capita GDP - $46,040

U.S. Per Capita GDP(5.79 times world- up from last data reporting)

Note:  Inequality between U.S. and rest of the world has Note:  Inequality between U.S. and rest of the world has continued to grow.  Current Domestic AND World recession continued to grow.  Current Domestic AND World recession impact?  Stay tuned during 2009 / 20010.impact?  Stay tuned during 2009 / 20010.  

MARKETSMARKETS

DEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY

TRADETRADE

COMPETITIONCOMPETITION

CAPITALISMCAPITALISM

ALL IMPERFECT THEN AND NOW, BUT HUMANITY HAS STEADILY ALL IMPERFECT THEN AND NOW, BUT HUMANITY HAS STEADILY GAINED IN LIFE SPAN, HEALTH STATUS, POWER FOR EVERYONE, GAINED IN LIFE SPAN, HEALTH STATUS, POWER FOR EVERYONE,

ACCESS, ETC. UNEVENLY, BUT GAINED – ACCESS, ETC. UNEVENLY, BUT GAINED –

PERFECTION IS WORTH STRIVING FOR, YET IS ELUSIVE AND DIFFICULT PERFECTION IS WORTH STRIVING FOR, YET IS ELUSIVE AND DIFFICULT TO ATTAINTO ATTAIN

World GDP per capitaWorld GDP per capitahighest 20 highest 20 lowest 20lowest 20

World $54.3T

World 6.7 B

POPULATION 2007

GDP 2004

US 305 M (5%)

U.S. $13.48T (25%)

2007 list by IMF World GDP 54,584,918 2007 list by IMF World GDP 54,584,918 Highest 20 Highest 20 Lowest 20Lowest 20

POVERTY is:

More than just low income

POVERTY also means:

NOT having a happy secure life

NOT having ACCESS

NOT having a rising quality of life

NOT having a chance to achieve one’s potential

Being dehumanized, objectified, ignored,“otherized”

Source: U.S Census BureauSource: U.S Census Bureau

Poverty Thresholds for 2007 by Size of Family and Poverty Thresholds for 2007 by Size of Family and Number of Related Children Under 18 YearsNumber of Related Children Under 18 Years

SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC DATA SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC DATA U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 2004U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 2004

Total Population White African Am Native Am Hispanic Asian% % % % %

Population* 100 72 11 0.01 14 4EducationHigh School 83.9 86.1 79.4 78.4 59.6 84.8Bachelors 27 28.3 17.3 15.1 12.7 48.2

Unemp Rate 7.2 6.1 13.4 14 8.9 6.3

Poverty RatesTotal 13.1 10.3 25.6 25.1 22 11.8< 18 18.1 13.8 35.9 31.6 28.6 12.9> 18 11.2 9.2 21 22.5 18.6 11.3

Per Cap Incm 24,000 26,000 16,000 15,700 14,000 25,800

* rounding errors due to data variance

Total Population White African AM Native Am Hispanic Asian

Percent in Poverty by US Region (2007) Percent in Poverty by US Region (2007)

Percent in Poverty by US Region (2007)Percent in Poverty by US Region (2007)

Percent in Poverty by Race in US (2007) Percent in Poverty by Race in US (2007)

Rise in Inequality

Quintile: 1947-1979 growth 1979-1999 growth

Lowest fifth 120% -1% Second fifth 101% 6% Middle fifth 107% 11% Forth fifth 114% 19% Top fifth 94% 42%

Data from US Census Bureau

Other Poverty statistics:Other Poverty statistics:Female Head of HouseholdFemale Head of Household 28.3%28.3%

Male head of HouseholdMale head of Household 13.2%13.2%  

Children under age 18 make up 25% of Children under age 18 make up 25% of the population and 35% of the poorthe population and 35% of the poor

OVERALL POVERTY RATESOVERALL POVERTY RATES

Late 1950'sLate 1950's     22.4%22.4%1973    1973     11.1%11.1%1983 1983        15.2%15.2%20072007         12.5%12.5%

Household Income Inequality Household Income Inequality 1967-2007 All races % share1967-2007 All races % share

“We have seen the enemy, and he/she is us.”

(POGO)

Paul Newman’s Motto “Shameless Exploitation for the Common Good”

“Sometimes you get what you want but it ain’t what you expected” (Over $200M for the Common Good)

Hole in the Wall Camps

1988 - Newman started first camp in Connecticut

2006 - World’s largest family of camps for children with serious illness or life-threatening conditions

114,000+ children (all 50 states / 32 countries) attend FREE!!