as i remember, John Pilger pointed out at the time of the USA moon landings - a third of American citizens were living below the poverty line.

I think maybe its a matter of national identity. Like Ireland India has lots of millionaires.

I suppose in England we had a sort of day of reckoning with 1945 and the setting up of the welfare state. I think it was Donleavy said, the Irish love and believe the myth of their poverty. We love and believe in in the myth of our caring society. For a lot of people - it must seem like a myth - but I think its a healthier myth to try and live up to - rather than the acceptance of the fact 'the poor will always be with us'.