The Poverty of Moral Toughness

The Poverty of Moral Toughness

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In his most recent column in The New York Times, David Brooks laments the results of a study led by Robert Putnam, a Harvard political scientist, which demonstrate an “inequality of opportunity” between rich and poor children in America. The children of the rich and poor, we’re told, are raised “in starkly different ways and have different opportunities,” and rich parents “invest more money in their children” than poor ones.

Brooks blames the calamitous situation of an increasing inequality of opportunity in America on “a long series of cultural, economic and social trends.” In particular, he singles out the demise of working-class jobs and the increase in out-of-wedlock births. To climb out of the bleak future where the gap between the rich and poor grows ever larger, Brooks says liberals and conservatives must seek a compromise.