The Dream and the Nightmare

The Dream and the Nightmare: The Sixties' Legacy to the Underclass, by Myron Magnet, Encounter Books, 2000.

Character and Culture

Good moral character causes the family to improve economically, not the reverse. Libertairans prefer economic causes; conservatives favor character and culture. The lives of the working poor, especially those with so-called menial jobs, are held in contemp by the progressive elites. These elites deny status and respect for the law-abiding and church-going working poor.

Agency

We are harming vulnerable people by denying the fact that they have agency.

Immigrants

Economic explanations for povery fail to eexplain why do many immigrants rise even during difficult economic times.

Social Welfare State

The author endorses Charles Murray's explanation of poverty caused by the sociL welfare state but Murray also emphasizes the role of character and culture.

Out-of-Wedlock Births

The removal of the stigma of out-of-wedlock births takes respect away from the poor who make the effort to create traditional families