Economics Archives

What Poverty in the United States Looks Like & How to Fix It

What is poverty in the United States like? How can we solve the poverty issue in the U.S.? Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, the authors of When Helping Hurts, point out that churches are often best equipped to help the poor in their own communities. While missions to alleviate poverty in developing nations may get more press, there are still poor communities in America. Let’s look at a clear picture of what poverty looks like in the contemporary United States.

The Different Types of Aid for Alleviating Poverty

What are the different types of aid? Are you providing the right type of relief aid? According to Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert in their book When Helping Hurts, there are three types of aid: relief, rehabilitation, and development. It’s important to choose what type of aid you need to provide before starting a poverty-alleviation project. Below, we’ll look at the authors’ three types of aid plus how other organizations categorize aid.

How Can We Reduce Poverty? The 3 Effective Methods

How can we reduce poverty? What is the right way to approach poverty alleviation? In When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert discuss how to practically approach poverty alleviation. This includes some common problems they’ve observed with current approaches and how to design more effective interventions. Continue reading to learn how we can reduce poverty the right way.

Infrastructure in America: How We Can Thrive Amid Globalization

Does the infrastructure in America allow us to compete in the world? What, if anything, needs to change? Thomas L. Friedman argues that developing the infrastructure to connect and innovate in a globalized world is vital for America. He identifies two key areas in which the U.S. needs to build and maintain a strong infrastructure: internet technology and services, and scientific research and development. Read more to learn Friedman’s argument.

Global Free Trade: Striking the Right Balance With Regulation

Should we fight job outsourcing or automation? What tax policies support growth? When does the protection of intellectual property cross the line into over-protection? To thrive amid globalization, the U.S. must find the right balance between global free trade and government regulation. Thomas L. Friedman looks at three issues that illustrate the importance of finding this balance: the outsourcing and automation of jobs, tax policies, and intellectual property laws. Keep reading to learn Friedman’s ideas for balancing global free trade and government regulation.

The Globalization of Supply Chains: Who Benefits?

Are international supply chains good or bad? What risks are involved? Who benefits? In the 21st Century, free markets reign supreme, global trade is the centerpiece of economies, and people have access to more information and are more connected than ever before. A few collaborative business practices—including international supply chains—accelerated globalization. Keep reading to understand the globalization of supply chains, as explained by Thomas L. Friedman in his book The World Is Flat, and see why they’re a mixed bag.

Understanding Poverty on a Psychological Level

How can we better understand poverty? What is the mindset you should adopt to reduce poverty? Many people misunderstand the nature of poverty, thinking it’s just a lack of resources when it’s actually a psychological issue. In When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert observe that this misunderstanding is compounded by a belief that we’re better than the people we’re trying to help. Check out Corbett and Fikkert’s general advice on developing the right mindset to understand poverty.

What Is Material Poverty & Why Is It Hard to Escape?

Why Socioeconomic Status and Depression Are Linked

What is material poverty? Why is material poverty so hard to overcome? In When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert assert that people get trapped in material poverty because they develop a negative worldview that leads to bad decisions. Broken systems also don’t help them escape this cycle. Keep reading to learn why this type of poverty attracts the most vulnerable people.

What Are the Main Causes of Poverty? A Christian View

What are the main causes of poverty? How do your relationships affect your financial mindset? Despite poverty’s complexity, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert (the authors of When Helping Hurts) argue that we can trace all of its components back to one source. This source is a breakdown of a person’s relationships with God, self, others, and the rest of creation. Let’s look at how these four relationships can cause poverty, according to Corbett and Fikkert.

The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman: Book Overview & Lessons

What’s globalization? Is it good or bad? What can we do to benefit from it? The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman examines the causes, effects, and potential future of a globalized world. He argues that globalization is ultimately a good thing, and he offers recommendations on how governments and individuals can thrive even amid globalization’s challenges. Continue reading for an overview of this thought-provoking book.