jeepster

The English are a perceptive people.

veryfunny

Sadly yes, one of the most shocking observations was when I was in Texas, where the rail way track was split into two sections with paint, the poor side and the middle class side. I had never seen anything like it in my life, till this day I am still shocked by what I saw.

WriterChick

Does America have a significantly higher poverty rate than the UK? I mean, after accounting for population size, obviously, or it isn't a proper comparison... There are more PEOPLE in the USA, so there are a;ways more of X-people in America than in the UK, in general... Hairdressers, short people, Italian speakers... Whatever... There are more of those in the USA than in the UK, because the UK is a small country with a small population, right? But after accounting for population, so per capita, percentage wise, are there more poor people in the USA than in the UK?
I suppose it depends how one defines 'poor'...

Pulaski

Unfortunately charities and lobbying groups (UK & US) have moved from using a definition of poor meaning "unable to afford food, shelter, warmth, and clothing" to one that defines poverty as a percentage of average income, thereby ensuring that "poverty" cannot be eliminated. .... Not having a TV in every living space and every bedroom does not make you poor!

sir_eccles

There is some quite interesting reading on the history of poverty threshold definitions. Seems the percentage of average income measure has been around since the 1960s.

https://www.census.gov/hhes/povmeas/...orshansky.html

Michael

Also productivity doesn't account for technological advances. For instance in 1970, the world's largest super computer cost $10 million but today an iPhone has over 100x more CPU power than that super computer and it does so much more, cars are better built and last longer, Flat panel TVs and HD is far superior and cheaper than previous TVs but none of that is part of the calculation for poverty.

WriterChick

Yeah. That was why I used the quotes.

Still wondering about my question... I'm not even sure if it is answerable.

So many things in the UK are so much more expensive than in the USA... And wages are so much lower in the UK then in the USA in many fields.

And property is so much more expensive in certain parts of the UK and in certain parts of the USA, but in other areas of both countries the values are very low.

I honestly do not personally know anyone that I'd define as 'living in poverty' in either country.

amideislas

I agree, and frankly, I get a little rolleyes every time somebody tells me how impoverished and racist Americans are...

...especially when it comes from the Spanish, (or expats living in Spain) who ironically live in a place where there's generally 25%, and up to 40% unemployment in some areas, and a black person can't expect to land a job much better than a checkout jockey or rubbish collector, regardless of their education (in fairness to other countries, ubiquitous minority segregation exists throughout most of continental Europe, not just Spain).

One (German) not long ago informed me that 70% of the American population now lives in poverty, and the rest are billionaires. Really? that's awful! (...or perhaps really great that so many people can make that kind of money, 'cause that ain't hapnin' here).

Anyway I heard only 1% are rich. I reckon 99% must be impoverished then.

Oh, that crippled, helpless, racist, impoverished USA. Good job Europe has its shit together.

WriterChick

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Bnet36

Poor areas and poverty just seem more visible and extreme in the US. The UK and most of Europe do a good job of keeping that 'behind closed doors' and also providing somewhat better social programs to alleviate the problem. I see people sleeping under bridges and overpasses here too often. I remember living in London and seeing homeless people being approached by social workers and charity reps to try and assist them all the time. I have not EVER seen that here in the US. Poverty might not be worse here but its more visible.

WriterChick

"I remember living in London and seeing homeless people being approached by social workers and charity reps to try and assist them all the time. I have not EVER seen that here in the US."

That happens in the USA. There are tonnes of charitable services that do this in the USA. I've seen this every winter of my life in NYC - they send people out on cold nights offering shelter, we have City Harvest which provides food. In LA they set up food in parks. In Florida they hand out water on hot days, and drive around before hurricanes offering shelter. Even in Detroit I've seen this sort of thing.

Do a google search on it. There are so many programmes, and there are programmes in every State!

Just because you didn't see it, it doesn't mean it isn't common and happening.

Bob

They tend to be charities though....not official stuff by the local government.

Begging is also illegal in quite a few places too.

WriterChick

Charity or government... so what... my point is that it is still happening, every day, all over the country.

And there ARE State programmes.

Hotscot

It's weird how the OP likes to start these sort of discussions then disappears without joining in...

Not much team spirit.

Pulaski

It appears that most of the participants on this thread have made more posts on this thread than the OP has posted on BE!