Overview
Do charity and government assistance help people in the long run, or do they perpetuate dependency? Does financial assistance encourage people to look for jobs, or does it discourage them from looking? Has the 27 trillion dollars spent on America’s “war on poverty” raised people out of poverty, or has something else? This video examines the complex relationship between charity, welfare, and poverty, and questions the role of entrepreneurs’ donations to organizations that help the poor.

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Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: Government and Other
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

What students will learn
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• identify benefits and drawbacks of charity and government welfare programs;
• explain how government can inadvertently create dependence; and
• formulate ways to help people become independent and self-sufficient.

Key concepts and terms covered
Capitalism, Dependency, Philanthropy, Poverty, and Welfare State.

Sample discussion questions
• According to John Stossel, how much has America’s war on poverty cost so far?
• John Stossel claims that the government’s welfare program reduces the incentive for people to try to become independent. How does welfare reduce the incentive to work? Would you prefer to be dependent or independent? Why?
• One of the charities is said to help people find “real work.” What is meant by that?
• A woman in the video says that as soon as you start doing well, they take all your benefits away. Is that an incentive to work harder? How might this be changed to incentivize poor people to continue to work or work even harder?
• Ultimately, who is responsible for your life? Why?

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 10-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description, learning objectives, key vocabulary, a fill-in viewing guide with answer key, discussion and analysis questions, and classroom activities.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.