How Not to Be Poor

AS Hurricane Katrina smashed through New Orleans, the nation was riveted by images of mothers and children, left destitute by the storm’s destruction. Social critics were quick to call attention to another tragedy lying behind the immediate devastation of the storm: the tragedy of persistent poverty in a nation of abundance. Many in New Orleans, they claimed, were victims, not merely of the hurricane, but of social and economic forces that left them trapped in poverty, at the margins of society. New Orleans became a metaphor for the enduring problem of American poverty.

Historically, New Orleans has had a high poverty rate, especially among children. In 2004, some 38 percent of children were living in poverty, more than double the national average. These figures are a cause of national concern. Why are so many children in New Orleans, and the nation at large, poor? Clearly, limited education and joblessness play a role. But a critical factor, ignored by too many commentators, is the collapse of the family. Nationwide, children born and raised outside marriage are seven times more likely to live in poverty than are children in intact married families. Nearly two-thirds of all poor children live in single-parent families.

RR

About the Author

Robert Rector

Mr. Rector is a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

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AS Hurricane Katrina smashed through New Orleans, the nation was riveted by images of mothers and children, left destitute by the storm’s destruction. Social critics were quick to call attention to another tragedy lying behind the immediate devastation of the storm: the tragedy of persistent poverty in a nation of abundance. Many in New Orleans, they claimed, were victims, not merely of the hurricane, but of social and economic forces that left them trapped in poverty, at the margins of society. New Orleans became a metaphor for the enduring problem of American poverty.

Historically, New Orleans has had a high poverty rate, especially among children. In 2004, some 38 percent of children were living in poverty, more than double the national average. These figures are a cause of national concern. Why are so many children in New Orleans, and the nation at large, poor? Clearly, limited education and joblessness play a role. But a critical factor, ignored by too many commentators, is the collapse of the family. Nationwide, children born and raised outside marriage are seven times more likely to live in poverty than are children in intact married families. Nearly two-thirds of all poor children live in single-parent families.