Culture | American society

“Poverty, By America” is a fierce polemic on an enduring problem

But Matthew Desmond offers more outrage than real-world solutions

PX4RED American flag painted on abandoned trailer home. Wyoming, USA — Image: Alamy

Mar 15th 2023

For the richest country in history, poverty in America remains jarringly widespread. Taking government assistance into account, one in eight American adults was classified as poor on the eve of the pandemic: a smaller share than in previous decades but still a big slice of the population. Every now and then, a polemic on the subject cuts through the routine news and statistics to induce shame, or even, in rare cases, spur change.

This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Small mercies”