Women and Poverty in 21st Century America

Despite a massive overhaul during the 1990s, the American welfare system remains based on a business model most concerned with the bottom line. Crafted by male-dominated legislative bodies of elected officials who most likely never had to choose between paying the rent or feeding their kids, the established welfare policies primarily protect the popular programs that ensure the re-election of career public officials. This intriguing volume offers a feminist perspective on the 21st century war on poverty, illustrated by the words of women forced to live everyday with social policies they had no voice in developing. Topics include the struggles of daily life, crime, health care, education, employment, and a discussion of capitalism, inequality, greed, and moral obligation in a free society. In the unrestrained pursuit of wealth, this work shows, America has created a vast poverty problem, making the rich richer and forcing the poor into the forgotten class.