Poor America : a comparative historical study of poverty in the United States and Western Europe / Samuel J. Eldersveld.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Eldersveld, Samuel James.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Poverty--United States--History.

Poverty.

Economic assistance, Domestic--United States.

Economic assistance, Domestic.

Poverty--Europe, Western--History--Case studies.

Economic assistance, Domestic--Europe, Western--Case studies.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (178 p.)

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : Lexington Books, c2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Poor America describes the sharp contrast in the extent of poverty between the United States and six Western European countries. Samuel J. Eldersveld seeks to discover why America struggles more with this social issue by exploring the history of the countries and various theories. Poor America describes the sharp contrast in the extent of poverty between the United States and six Western European countries. While 36 million Americans live below the poverty line, a much smaller percent of Western Europeans struggle with the same problem. Samuel J. Eldersveld seeks to discover why this variance exists by exploring various theories. To explain the larger percentage of American poor, he tackles the history of poverty in each of the featured countries along with examining the 'system theory' approach, the role of values, the political elite character in the United States compared to Europe, and the differential robes of the business elites in these countries. Poor America follows the issue of poverty through the present day, discussing proposals and prospects for reform in poverty relief in the United States.

Contents:

The state of poverty in the United States and Western Europe: five theoretical approaches seeking to explain the variance

The challenge to America

The historical experience

Attitudes, beliefs, and values

System differences as explanations

The role of political elites

The role of business elites

The history of poverty in seven nations to 1900

The early history of poverty in the Unites States

The Dutch historical experience

The early French and Belgium history of poverty

The English historical experience

The historical experience with poverty in Sweden and Germany

Final observations: the 20th century and today

The finalization of social reform and anti-poverty legislation in Western Europe and the United States in the 20th century

Conclusion: what are the prospects?

Appendix: major references

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-161) and index.

ISBN:

979-82-16-33556-6

1-283-98920-4

0-7391-5928-3