How did today's hot-button issues develop? How did these issues grow into passionately debated controversies within American society? The volumes in this series trace the historical roots and key aspects of questions that Americans have found of compelling importance in shaping our way of life.Each Volume provides the tools for readers to sharpen their own thinking and take an informed position.It provides an analysis of primary documents and statistics. It offers an even-handed approach to help readers move beyond polemics. It contains timeline, tables, and other resources to support students' reports. It includes annotated bibliographies of print and electronic sources for further study.Are poor people poor because of their own shortcomings and moral failings, or because of systemic societal and econonomic obstacles? This book demonstrates why neither of these two polemical stances has been able to prevail permanently over the other and explores the public policy - and real-life - consequences of the stalemate.