Poverty In America Essay

The Oxford dictionary defines the term “poverty” as, “the state of being extremely poor.” This term, however, is subjective depending on the person you ask. Is poverty a state where one lacks materials they want rather than need? Or is poverty the state of not being able to afford basic necessities? Is poverty limited to numbers and statistics or does it include abstract ideas and concepts? Regardless, poverty is a multifaceted issue that is recurring throughout all nations and countries and has yet to be solved. While no one can pinpoint a specific origin of poverty, it is understood that this has been an issue in America dating back to the 19th century. After an influx of immigrants entering American cities, buildings that once served single-family households were divided to hold more people. Because of this overcrowding, living conditions became poor and unhealthy which caused illnesses to spread. As a result, poverty and

One’s view of poverty in a country such as America would most likely be different from a citizen of Uganda. To me, the true definition of poverty is not being able to afford essentials such as sufficient food, clean water, livable shelter, clothes, and medical care. Poverty, however, also has many other “levels.” Poverty can also mean not being able to afford things such as an education or not being able to acquire a job. It can be barriers that prevent one from being able to make their own choices and often sets a pattern for the succeeding generation to follow. It will often lead to sacrifices that have to be made in order to simply survive. I believe that poverty, however, is not being able to afford a sports car or the latest version of the iPhone. It is not being unable to afford things you want, such as designer clothes, two-story houses, or gourmet foods. Poverty is not being unable to afford the highest quality of goods, but rather not being able to afford goods at