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"A good way to look at this might be some measure of the living standard / quality of life." We have a lower percentage of the populace that is poor--but they
by sidlls 5y ago
"A good way to look at this might be some measure of the living standard / quality of life."
We have a lower percentage of the populace that is poor--but they still live with little or no access to health care, in poor housing with problems (pests, access to clean resources, food supply, rampant violent criminal activity, etc.) and in other conditions such that they may as well be in corrugated metal shanties with dirty water and little/no access to electricity and other "amenities".
The living standard and quality of life for poor americans is marginally better than for poor people in third-world countries. We put a better spin on it and (ab)use statistics to paint a better picture.
- ClumsyPilot 5y ago"The living standard and quality of life for poor americans is marginally better than for poor people in third-world countries" I have no experience of third world countries, but if I am destined to be poor, I would rather live in ex-soviet block countries like Czech Republic. They gave half-decent public services, healthcare, etc.
- lotsofpulp 5y agoThe difficult portion of quality of life to quantify and even describe is volatility and possibility to move up the ladder.
- sudosysgen 5y agoFrom experience in third world countries I'd say it's quite accurate, being poor in a country with ~3000$ GDP per capita is not that different from being very poor in America.