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To understand how society has changed, it is necessary to trace the ideas that permeated each period through all available primary sources. The impact of George’s words may be unclear, yet his intentions show that the issues that exist today are long-standing and highly detrimental to the United States. Reviewing Henry George’s Crime of Poverty, which was written in 1885, in its historical context can shed light on socio-political developments within the country. This paper will reflect on Henry George’s Crime of Poverty, its intention, purpose, and historical importance.
The book by George was released as a warning to society back in the nineteenth century. Crime of Poverty appears to be addressed by the wealthy part of the U.S. population of that time. The author’s intention was to reveal the suffering and the actual reason behind the high level of poverty in the country to the general audience (Foner, 2019). Impoverished individuals were being blamed for the fact that they found themselves in such a predicament, and George wanted to take a stand against their criminalization. The book may be convincing to some, yet repulsive in its attacks on medium- and upper-class citizens.
The purpose of the text was to make a call to action in an attempt to fix a critical flaw in the economy. The author’s words may seem like an insult to the wealthy and successful members of society, yet it was an admission of guilt. Society has made this unnecessary suffering and grief breed uncontrollably due to the inaction and greed of the entire nation (Foner, 2019). George’s words may appear offensive and harsh to some, yet they were a reflection of his observations as an economist on the catastrophic situation within the country.
The most important part of the document is the revelation that poor people are victims, not perpetrators, despite the willingness of the masses to portray them as ones. Foner (2019) provides a quote from George’s take on poverty that pinpoints the argument against the public’s views on this social issue “murder is a crime; but it is not a crime to be murdered.” At the same time, the author does not call for pity or condolences yet expects the audience to react with a reasonable outrage at the fact that such an injustice is occurring in front of them. Poor people are being blamed for the reason they barely had any influence while already suffering from its consequences in full power. Through this comparison, readers must realize how flawed their take on the impoverished part of the population is and that there is a need for a drastic solution.
In conclusion, the author’s words precisely described the social inequality of the nineteenth century, calling for the government to rethink its position on the impoverished part of the U.S. population. Henry George, who had knowledge of the internal workings of the country’s economy, explained the fault of the masses’ views on poverty with great eloquence and proposed a change in direction for the betterment of society. His writing was intended to convince the general public that there is a dire need to reimagine the nation’s take on dealing with poverty, as this problem stems from the inadequate views of the majority. Judging from the text, the state of economic affairs in the United States during the nineteenth century could support those who found themselves at the bottom of society, yet policies were set against them.
Reference
Foner, E. (2019). Give me liberty!: An American history (6th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.
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