One Reason It’s Harder to Escape Poverty in America
Posted by Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity on February 11, 2025
The American Dream suggests that hard work leads to financial stability, but poverty in the U.S. is more persistent than in other high-income countries. Vox reports on a recent study which found that poor children in the U.S. are significantly more likely to remain poor as adults compared to those in countries like Denmark or Germany, largely due to a weaker social safety net for adults. While childhood poverty programs are important, researchers emphasize that the lack of support for low-income adults plays a major role in poverty’s persistence.
The study also found that poverty affects children of all races similarly in terms of long-term economic outcomes, though Black children are more likely to experience poverty overall. Ultimately, the findings highlight the need for stronger government assistance in adulthood to break the cycle of poverty and create more opportunities for upward mobility.
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