General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: So really ... what is wrong with redistributing wealth? [View all]GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)Poor will always be defined as having less than most people. Being poor is a relative position.
I was raised in poverty. Childhood home (1946 - 1964) had no insulation, no phone, no indoor plumbing, rat and mouse infested, etc. I joined the Army and saw a huge improvement in my personal standard of living. Army food was far superior to home.
All of Dad's friends were almost as poor. Later, as an adult, I realized that all of those families had problems that caused their poverty. Some had too many kids. Some had booze problems. All were poorly educated and did nothing to try to improve their situation. (That was Dad's problem.) A few families were just down on their luck, but not many. One cousin was poor but he worked smart and hard. Today he is a rich rancher, but he started with nothing.
No matter what you do, there will be difference in people and those differences matter. Some will be smart, some stupid, some industrious, some lazy, some frugal, some wasteful and those difference will make some poor.