Paul Krugman | Debunking the "Nation of Takers" Myth

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the war on poverty in the United States, and the date provoked a flurry of studies correcting some widespread myths. Perhaps the most notable was an enlightening progress report from the Council of Economic Advisers.

What needed correcting? Basically, the "nation of takers" narrative, according to which we have been contributing ever-greater sums toward helping the poor, all without making a dent in the poverty rate.