Progress Against Poverty (1959-1983): The Recent Poverty Debate (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
June 7, 1985 |
| Report Number |
IB84013 |
| Authors |
Tom Gabe, Education and Public Welfare Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Over the last quarter century, poverty in the United States has beenconsiderably reduced. From 1978 to 1982, however, the poverty rate increaseddramatically. The rate of increase abated somewhat in 1983.In 1983, 35.3 million people, 15.2% of the population, were consideredpoor by the official definition. The poverty rate was 33% higher than whenit began to rise in 1978, and was at its highest level since 1965, but 32%lower than its first measured level in 1959. About 900,000 more people werecounted as poor in 1983 than in 1982. While the number of poor increasedover this period, so too did the size of the population as a whole.Consequently, the poverty rate in 1983 was about the same as in 1982 -- 15.2%compared to 15.0%. This change is judged to be statistically insignificant.The recent trend has stirred considerable debate among scholars and policymakers allke. The debate has focused on a number of issues, including theway in which poverty is measured, how the economy and income transferprograms affect poverty, and how different groups in the population havefaired over time relative to the poverty standard.
