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> The issue is that in the west, and particular in the US, being poor is considered a character flaw.

This is the Just world hypothesis in action.¹

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-world_hypothesis

Voltaire's "Candide or the Optimist" is a classic literary novella with this subject as backdrop. Short and wonderful, a must read.

Just keep in mind that the story is weapons-grade satire for a world that doesn't really exist any more, and even though it is still extremely relevant and eye-opening it was written for a different time.

Without that reading Candide is akin to reading a serial killers' torturous fan fiction.

No, it’s Protestantism and the pernicious concept of grace as opposed to good works in Judaism, Catholic/Orthodox Christianity or Islam. If you are poor, you must be cursed by God and therefore deserve everything that happens to you. What’s more, the elect who have grace are entitled to make your life even worse for their benefit.

This is incorrect. Your comment references certain points of Calvinist doctrine but grossly misinterprets them.

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