A bit like they used to say the poor will always be with us

How does he account for such wide discrepancies in individual economies between rich and poor or is he saying that 25% of the US population without health cover aren't really poor. Or life expectancy differences in our own society are down to individuals who choose to die early.

Still reading Galbraith Affluent Society. He makes an interesting analysis of why society derides public expenditure as against praising private expenditure. He feels it is based on the rich’s frustration of having to pay on a redistributive basis ie through tax rather than through a direct charging mechanism and having to pay for services they can provide individually for themselves.

I thought it was very astute. I would reccommend it.