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Poverty Quotes

On hardship, pretense, and the thin line between struggle and ruin.

These quotes describe poverty as something felt rather than just discussed—its nearness to wealth in some places, the pretense people keep up to hide it, and the social programs built to hold it back. See our poverty slogans for another angle.

There are three major social issues that this country is struggling with: education, poverty, and drugs. Two of them we talk about, and one of them we don't.

Quotes by Steven Soderbergh

The fact that apartheid has been tied up with white supremacy, capitalist exploitation, and deliberate oppression makes the problem much more complex. Material want is bad enough, but coupled with spiritual poverty, it kills.

Quotes by Steven Biko

Obama's plan for higher taxes and more spending is a blueprint for perpetual poverty. The last thing America needs is more of the Democrats' class warfare that has left our economy a barren landscape.

Quotes by Steve Stockman

As a result of the current universal benefit, the poverty rate for seniors in America is about 10%. Without the universal benefit, it would be over 50%.

Quotes by Steve Israel

Since Social Security was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 to ensure economic security for American workers, poverty among American seniors has dramatically declined.

Quotes by Steve Israel

Forget about war or disease or poverty. The apocalypse is when America's elected president is no longer supervised by the unelected ruling establishment.

Quotes by Steve Hilton

For all the obsession in Washington and in college faculty lounges over income inequality, why isn't there more outrage over government policies that exacerbate the problem? There are hundreds of programs that make the poor poorer and increase poverty in...

Quotes by Stephen Moore

One of the key principles of Trumponomics is that faster economic growth can help solve a multitude of other social and economic problems, from poverty to inner-city decline to lowering the national debt.

Quotes by Stephen Moore

Putting women first would mean strengthening America's social safety net, because a higher proportion of single-mother families live in poverty here than in any other wealthy country.

Quotes by Stephanie Coontz

If machines do everything well, including allocating capital and resources efficiently, can that be deflationary, can that eliminate poverty? I don't know. It's hard to be very optimistic if you look at how humans have behaved historically.

Quotes by Stanley Druckenmiller

My mother grew up in abject poverty in Mississippi, an elementary school dropout. Yet, with the support of women around her, she returned to school and graduated as class valedictorian - the only one of her seven siblings to finish...

Quotes by Stacey Abrams

While my parents both worked full-time, we still grappled with the scourge of working-class poverty. But my entrepreneurial mother used her research skills to consult. And, along with my dad, she even ran a soul food restaurant for my great-aunt.

Quotes by Stacey Abrams

Financial inclusion helps lift people out of poverty and can help speed economic development. It can draw more women into the mainstream of economic activity, harnessing their contributions to society.

Quotes by Sri Mulyani Indrawati

Financial inclusion matters not only because it promotes growth, but because it helps ensure prosperity is widely shared. Access to financial services plays a critical role in lifting people out of poverty, in empowering women, and in helping governments deliver...

Quotes by Sri Mulyani Indrawati

If we are suffering illness, poverty, or misfortune, we think we shall be satisfied on the day it ceases. But there too, we know it is false; so soon as one has got used to not suffering one wants something...

Quotes by Simone Weil

It wasn't simply that Clinton created the greatest prosperity in the country's history. Or that we created 22 million new jobs, more than ever before. Under Clinton, poverty was reduced 25%.

Quotes by Sidney Blumenthal

The first Parikrma school started in a slum where there were 70,000 people living below the poverty line. Our first school was on a rooftop of a building inside the slums, a second story building, the only second story building...

Quotes by Shukla Bose

The present Arab uprising didn't stem from Israel. The old guard is trying to keep down the young chickens. The old guard is better organized. They may win elections, but unless they have a solution to poverty, to corruption, to...

Quotes by Shimon Peres

The problem of the Middle East is poverty more than politics.

Quotes by Shimon Peres

Poverty and ignorance, which beget terror, are not eradicated by firing artillery shells. Borders do not stop rockets, and barbed wire does not prevent terror.

Quotes by Shimon Peres

Frequently Asked Questions

What angles on poverty do these quotes cover?
This set covers a personal observation about inequality in Mexico, a stark description of poverty's harshness, a policy view connecting Social Security to reducing poverty, and an older reflection on pretense and a ruined man's pride.
Is there a quote describing wealth and poverty existing side by side?
Yes: "In Mexico, wealth and poverty live next to each other and are cordial with each other - in my experience."
Does a quote connect poverty to a dark, memorable image?
Yes: "There is something about poverty that smells like death."
Is there a quote linking Social Security to reducing poverty?
Yes - one sample post states, "Social Security not only helps Americans enjoy a secure retirement, it has also kept millions of Americans out of poverty." This is presented as that speaker's own stated policy view, not this page's endorsement of any particular policy position.
Where can I find more poverty-related content?
If you liked these, check out our Slogans page for more short lines on poverty, or our Life quotes for broader reflection.

The collection also touches on how poverty shapes children and education, alongside its role in a nation's broader story.