Among the challenges facing the new administration in Washington, one of the most important is to reduce or even eliminate poverty. But if policy initiatives are based on poverty myths rather than reality, not only are the chances of success reduced, but also some policies may unintentionally make poverty worse.

Three widely held myths concerning poverty are that it is a generational curse, it is primarily caused by racism, and the poor are helpless victims of large, impersonal forces. None of these myths is true.