The Government has a Responsibility of Eliminating Poverty

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The Government has a Responsibility of Eliminating Poverty
The question of helping the poor has been around for a while. In the American society, the poor have always lagged in terms of development, access to national resources, and participation in socio-political development. It has reached a point in life where the unfortunate have become victims of the affluent who deprive them of their public welfare. Today, there is increasing animosity between the wealthy and the poor. One may be afraid that it will reach a point in time when the poor will stage demonstrations to claim their share of national resources. I agree with Lane’s argument that the happiness of the poor can only increase when the government increases their welfare. If indeed it is wealth that increases the happiness of the affluent, I do not see the reason why the poor should be deprived of this basic right.
I would support the argument of the opponents of this stand that money does not increase happiness, but I think that this is a flawed stand that should be rejected in a moral society. I think that it is only a wealthy individual that will deny the fact that money will put a smile on the face of a hungry person, even though the feeling may be temporary. Consider an example of people living in slums or in poor environments. Some of them have spent a better part of their lives trying to achieve what one could call an affordable living. By claiming that the government has a responsibility of eliminating poverty, I do not necessarily mean that people should rely on government charities. I, instead argue that people have a basic right to access social and economic resources that could improve their lives.
One of the primary sources of inequality in the American society is the government. Minority groups have lived in poverty since the time of independence. The primary cause of these inequalities is the failure of the first government to initiate programs that could alleviate the suffering of the people of color. Consider the emancipation of slavery. When President Lincoln declared the emancipation of slavery, the people of color had hopes that for the first time, they could gain equal access to resources. What happened later is that the very people that had helped in fighting to maintain the union were not considered. After years of slavery, they were not given land to go and compete with their former white masters in economic development. Instead, they were left to fend for themselves. I...