After making your predictions, READ the CON side, “CON: War on Poverty Revisited (Modified) By Thomas Sowell
Capitalism Magazine (online), August 17, 2004,” and complete the second row in the table below. Source: Who wrote this? What is his perspective? What do you predict the author will say after reading Johnson’s speech? What’s the author’s main argument? What are THREE pieces of evidence the author uses to support his claims? CON Great Society/ War on Poverty
CON: War on Poverty Revisited (Modified) by Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is a conservative economist and social theorist known for his critiques of government intervention in the economy.
After reading Johnson's speech, I predict Sowell will argue that the War on Poverty programs have been largely ineffective and have created unintended consequences.
Sowell's main argument is that the government's War on Poverty has not only failed to significantly reduce poverty rates, but has also perpetuated a cycle of dependency and undermined individual initiative.
Three pieces of evidence Sowell uses to support his claims are: 1) the poverty rate in the United States has remained relatively unchanged since the 1960s despite trillions of dollars spent on anti-poverty programs, 2) welfare programs have disincentivized work and marriage, leading to generational poverty, and 3) government intervention has distorted markets and hindered economic growth, further exacerbating poverty.