As a result of the economic crisis and recession of 2008-2009, 4 million Americans have fallen into poverty. Around 50 million adults now live below the poverty line. Millions of Americans endure hunger. People in different walks of life and in different circumstances experience poverty. Many others live on the edge of poverty. Still, many people think that those described as “poor” in the United States are pretty well-off by world standards (Shaw, 2017, p. 114). Read Case 3.3 “Poverty in America” in the textbook on pages 114-116 and address the following questions in a paper that will be submitted to the dropbox:

1. Does the existence of poverty imply that our socio-economic system is unjust? Does the concentration of poverty in certain groups make it more unjust than it would be otherwise?
2. What are the causes of poverty? Are they structural or individual? How is one’s answer to this question likely to affect one’s view of the justice or injustice of poverty?
3. What moral obligation, if any, do we have individually and as a society to reduce poverty? What steps could be taken? What role should business play?
4. How would a utilitarian view the facts about poverty? What are the implications for our society of the concept of the declining utility of money?
5. How would a libertarian like Nozick view poverty in the United States? How plausible do you find the libertarian’s preference for private charity over public assistance?
6. How would our economy be assessed from the point of view of Rawls’s difference principle? Can it be plausibly maintained that, despite poverty, our system works to “the greatest expected benefit of the least advantaged”? Is this an appropriate standard?

Paper Details:

• 2-3 pages, not including title or reference pages.
• APA writing style must be used for all formatting. (Double-spacing required)
• Please see the “Case Analysis Rubric” below for specific grading details.