14-Nov-2011 | By Brian Anderson, Contributing Editor
Entitlement programs have done more to sustain poverty than alleviate it. We are losing the war on poverty because the well-intentioned entitlement programs meant to fight poverty actually perpetuate it. Ending poverty in America would take a paradigm shift that embraces capitalism, reforms entitlement programs, and forces poor communities and liberal politicians to take responsibility for their destructive actions and policies, respectively.
In today's economy, upward socioeconomic mobility requires individual motivation. Many of the multigenerational poor are so ensnared in and discouraged by the entitlement trap that they fail to promote the values that could inspire their children to rise above poverty.
Multigenerational poor families have been duped into believing that capitalism is evil and some form of socialism is their only source of monetary security. This culture of poverty has removed hope from the family and community dynamics.
Electing liberal politicians who promote varying forms of socialist entitlement public policy continues the cycle of government reliance thereby removing pride from its recipients. The material possessions that entitlement beneficiaries own were not earned. There's no pride in acquiring something that wasn't earned so they often fail to appreciate their possessions and, by extension, their community. How can they when they are constantly told that they are the victims of an inept and discriminatory system? A system that owes them something.
A step on the path to end poverty would be to promote capitalism and encourage the poor to believe in free markets. The best cure for poverty is a job. The surest way to create jobs and subsequent wealth is through capitalism. Historically, economic growth increases as the government's grip on the market weakens. As the economy grows, unemployment decreases. Yet, entitlement programs create disincentives to enter the expanding labor pool as recipients fear they will lose the safety net of the nanny state. They are trapped in their perceived safety net. Combined with disincentives is the notion that capitalist greed disproportionately shuts out blacks and Latinos intentionally.
The free market system, however, respects the merits of the individual and provides opportunities regardless of race or gender. A business will hire an individual based on his ability to contribute to the success of the business. Capitalism creates wealth by providing services to others which means that businesses and individuals create wealth by serving others.
Socialism, on the other hand, creates greed as individuals demand unearned services and goods from the collective wealthier other. Until the poor realize that the liberal ideology they generally promote is greedy, there is no hope that they will see the merits of capitalism and individual accountability.
As the merits of individual responsibility spread through poor communities, they will begin to correct the things that they have done to destroy their general family structure. In today's culture families often need two income earners for financial security. So the decay of the two-parent family unit among the poor is a major contributing factor to multigenerational poverty. Fathers who feel that they aren't accountable for their actions abandon their parental obligations leaving young, single women with the responsibility to raise children. This creates economic and family values deficiencies that shatter hope.
Although government cannot provide hope, there is a role for it to help the poor. The government should create a stable and open economic environment that promotes job creation. The welfare reforms of 1996 should be expanded to further encourage entitlement recipients to work and receive an education or some form of business training. Poor parents must attend school or some other training to improve their business skill sets and expand their knowledge. At the local level, schools and municipal governments can work with nonprofit organizations to provide services that allow working mothers to attend school or trainings. And, most importantly, Conservatives must be willing to promote the merits of capitalism and individual responsibility in traditionally poor, liberal communities.
