The War on the Poor: A Defense Manual [Paperback]

Nancy Folbre (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1996

The War on the Poor counters attacks on the poor in the same lively, accessible style that made The New Field Guide to the U.S. Economy a cult classic. Using charts, graphs, and political cartoons, The War on the Poor presents topics including middle-class welfare, "family" values, child support, teen poverty, the minimum wage, the underclass, orphanages, health, hunger, corporate welfare, block grants, private charity, work requirements, and incentives. It includes a comprehensive resource list of addresses and phone numbers of activist groups, lobbying organizations, information sources, and media contacts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Primer for the 1990s and Beyond, Randy Shaw takes a broader approach, showing how activists for anything from the environment to AIDS policy to school reform can influence politicians and the media, form alliances and take direct action (June, Univ. of California, $17.95 ISBN 0-520-20317-8; cloth $50 -20315-1). A tighter focus is provided by Richard Mintzer, author of Volunteering in New York City: Your Guide to Working Small Miracles in the Big Apple. Divided into sections on art and culture, children, animals, the homeless, libraries, seniors and more, it gives introductory information on what to expect and a listing of organizations (June, Walker, $10.95 ISBN 0-8027-7481-4).
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Students seeking data. . . will find this a valuable resource. -- Voice of Youth Advocates

The War on the Poor. . . is actually quite a rarity: a book on economic policy that the average person can not only understand, but even enjoy. -- Boston Phoenix

The War on the Poor. . . presents the truth about social assistance programs. . . It unravels the myths that riddle welfare discussions, provides useful history lessons, and--most importantly--offers solutions that don't rely on quick fixes. -- Mother Jones

Product Details

• Paperback: 142 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565842626
• ISBN-13: 978-1565842625
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,691,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun, informative book, with facts everybody should know, September 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The War on the Poor: A Defense Manual (Paperback)

I did not see one picture of "mean Republicans stepping on poor, defenseless, and deserving poor people" in this book. In fact, one of the points of this book seems to be that people do not deserve to be poor, given the wealth of the United States. "War on the Poor" makes its argument with facts, numbers that seem to come from reliable sources, like the numbers the U.S. government provides. If you have any questions about the numbers you can look up the sources because the text is thoroughly footnoted (along with the cool graphics). The book demonstrates some of the failings of our society, including the welfare program, and challenges the reader for a response. I don't think even the most strident Republican would be foolish enough to deny there are too many poor people in this country, and that poverty is a problem! Yes, the book does have a liberal bent, but is it liberal or conservative to shine a spot light on a problem? It isn't until chapter 8, "Alternatives," that people might have disagreements with the authors, but then again, they only seem to be trying to start a dialogue. Anyhow, I recommend the book, and I hope it does make your blood boil.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Silenced Finally Get a Chance...., March 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The War on the Poor: A Defense Manual (Paperback)

I read this book for my Race, Class, and Gender course in college in which we deconstructed the institutions of our "fabulous" society to see what was really happening behind the scenes of democracy. "The War on the Poor: A Defense Manual" was a fantastic resource in doing so. The working class and welfare recipients in our society are silenced and horribly labeled, treated as the "under class". "Rightists" and "fundamentalists" and "Rush Limbaugh Junkies" (for lack of more insulting terms) have created a society where we are made to believe that individuals are solely responsible for their "plights". It's time these people take a course in sociology to understand that there are multiple factors in the existence of the "poor". And it's too bad that the "evil republicans" have to be displayed in this book as just that, but it's time they realize that bully, right wingers are outnumbered and will lose. Maybe that's childish, but it's also childish to claim a group of people are lazy and able to succeed in our society by "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps", which many right wing, republicans tend to do. This book is full of fabulous statistics, which are clearly not created for the sole purpose of sales...take a course in class sociology...the statistics will amaze you. And all that bulls**t you've been fed will make you laugh.

4.0 out of 5 stars Objectives met by authors, January 25, 2001

By 

Michael P. Vimont (Norton, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The War on the Poor: A Defense Manual (Paperback)

The objective of this book seems to have been to provide a bullet presentation regarding the issue of poverty, those on welfare and alternatives. Despite the fact that the reader may disagree with it's assertions and conclusions, one cannot argue that the authors did a good job in meeting their objectives. The book is written in such a way that the lay person can clearly understand points being made. Although there is always some compromising of the "facts" when presented in a simplistic way, it nevertheless meets its objectives. The best part of this book is how it attacks the myths surrounding the issues of poverty and welfare. It seems that those who did not like this book would not like ANY book that expressed the idea that poverty is primarily caused by societal forces not individual indolence. But of course, it makes them feel a lot safer thinking the latter, because if only indolent people become poor, than they can't possibly ever be poor.