Deserving Poor Research Paper

Welfare Debate: The Deserving and the Undeserving Poor According to Americans throughout US history, there are two groups of poor people, the deserving poor and the undeserving poor. Although both groups are poor, they are poor for very different reasons. On the one hand, the undeserving poor are poor because of the consequences of bad decisions or life choices. On the other hand, the deserving poor are poor not because of bad decisions but because it is not in their control. Although I do believe all poor people should be eligible to receive welfare or government assistance, anyone receiving welfare or government assistance should be required to seek employment, if they are able to work. The undeserving poor are poor not because they weren’t given the opportunity to succeed, but because they choose to make the wrong decisions. The undeserving poor make very little or no effort at all to make better decisions The undeserving poor are irresponsible and feel as if they are entitled to behave a certain way rather than being responsible for their financial situation. Instead of taking on responsibility for their situation they depend on welfare or government assistance. The problem is that the undeserving poor will most likely depend on welfare and government assistance for
the rest of their lives. The deserving poor were more than likely not given as many choices or opportunities as the undeserving poor were given and therefore had less of a chance of being successful.
The deserving poor more like the working poor. An example of someone in the deserving poor would be someone that lives in a third world country. People from third world countries were not given the same opportunities as we are given here in the United States, such as education. Being well educated can mean the difference between having choices and better opportunities and a better paying job. This undeserving poor may not depend on welfare or government assistance for the rest of their lives if it was in their
control. In summary, I believe the deserving and the undeserving poor should be eligible to receive welfare or government assistance. The undeserving poor are “lazy freeloaders addicted to drugs and alcohol” they have no one to blame for being poor but themselves. Meanwhile the deserving poor they make better decisions and are not addicted to drugs or alcohol, yet still poor. Welfare and government assistance programs should be available to anyone living below the poverty level, although there should be required to show proof that they are actively seeking employment, if they are able to work.