【英语翻译Definingthepovertyline:ApoliticalqueastionPovertyisanenduingproblemthatmustbeaddressedbyallmodernsocietiesInfact,someethicistssayacivilizationcanbejudgedbyhowwellittreatsitsleastfortunate.Bythismeasure,】

　　英语翻译

　　Definingthepovertyline:Apoliticalqueastion

　　PovertyisanenduingproblemthatmustbeaddressedbyallmodernsocietiesInfact,someethicistssayacivilizationcanbejudgedbyhowwellittreatsitsleastfortunate.Bythismeasure,theUnitedstateshasmuchtobeproudof.Onanationallevel,theUnitedstateshasdoneremarkableworktodecreasethesufferingofthepoorbysubsidizingfood,housing,andeducation,andevenbygivingmoneydirectlytothosewhoneeditthemost.Still,eveninthepublicsector,projectshavetobeevaluatedtoseeiftheyareeffective.Noonecanmeasurethebenefitsofaidwithoutdefiningwhatpovertyis,andwhensomeonehasbeenliftedoutofit.Thisleadstooneverypoliticalquestion:Howexactlyshouldpovertybemeasured?

　　Thequestionofpovertyisextrenelycomplex.Shoulditbeconsideredabsolute-asasimplematteroftheavailabilityoffoodandshelter-orshoulditberelativetothegoodsandservicesenjoyedbythesocietyasawhole?Inotherwords,ifapersoncanaffordaDVDplayerbutnottoliveinasafeneighbor-hood,isthatpersonpoor?Certainlysomethingasfluidastheeconomycanaffectanynumberofforcestocausefinancialsuffering—sometimesquitesuddenly.Still,accordingtoourfederalgovernment,thereisaspecificmeasure,the“povertyline”thatanswersthequeastion.Suchameasurewasdevisedin1963bygovernmenteconomistMollieOrshansky,thenworkingfortheSocialSecurityAdministrationunderthejurisdictionoftheOfficeofManagementandBudgest.

　　Orshansky’sstatisticalmeasurementwasonesmallpartofthefederalgovernment’splantoattackthedifficultnationaleconomicconditionsthatwerehurtingmillionsofAmericansintheearly1960s.PresidentLyndonJohnson,labeledtheplangovernment’s“WaronPoverty”,anditledtosuchnationalpovertythresholdfromaDepartmentofAgriculturestudyoutliningthecostofnutritionallyadequatemeals.

　　FromtheAgiculturestudy,Orshanskytookthemosteconomicandhealthymealdesignshecouldfind.ShethenestimatedstatisticallythattheaverageAmericanfamilyinthe1950sspentapproximatelyone-thirdofitshouseholdincomeonfood;fromthere,shemultipliedbytherethecostofthemosteconomicallyefficient,nutritio