Question

Is the current tendency by Americans to blame the poor for their condition similar to racist attitudes that existed in the past? Explain.

Answer 1

Yes, the current American tendency to blame the poor for unfavorable conditions is similar to racist attitudes of the past. Groups in power, whether by class or race, have always tended to attribute their issues to outside parties such as the less-privileged strata of society. For example, Hitler blamed Germany’s post-WWI economic and political suffering on the domestic Jewish population, encouraging the entitled and intolerant “Aryan” Germans. In America today, political groups that are composed of the most-fortunate demographics of society tend to blame the poor for high taxes and invasive social programs. As always, xenophobia against impoverished immigrants prevails and continues to perpetuate the use of “scape-goats” for economic and societal issues brought by other factors.