In this country, all children are supposed to have a shot at success — a chance to jump "from rags to riches" in one generation.
Even if riches remain out of reach, then the belief has been that every hard-working American should be able to go from poverty to the middle class.
On Tuesday, a book and a separate study are being released — both turning up evidence that the one-generation leap is getting harder to accomplish in an economy so tied to education, technological know-how and networking.
Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam's new book, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis, argues that the United States is losing its status as a land of opportunity for all.
Here's the central idea: In the American Dream, upward mobility is available to all, limited only by ability and effort, not class. But Putnam assembles data to show that an "opportunity gap" has emerged here, making an upward climb much tougher in the 21st century, compared with the mid-20th century.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
2 comments:
When you dumb down entire generations, the ones that follow will be disadvantaged, and they will be the ones to revolt.
"Without steady factory paychecks, 'there's such instability in the families of poor kids that 60 to 70 percent of them — of all races — are living in single-parent families,' he said, versus 6 percent for the wealthiest fifth of families."
So single-parent families are caused by lack of factory paychecks?
How's about paying and feeding people at a level which may be above local wage standards?
How's about paying more per child?
How's about lack of responsibility or accountability for the education of that child?
How's about amorality being an acceptable standard?
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