Question

In 1963, Mollie Orshansky tried to define poverty in terms of income relative to the cost of food. This calculation eventually became the basis for the official poverty line in the United States.

Identify the initial criticisms of Orshansky's definition of poverty.

Answer 1

The major criticism was regarding the multipliers and the calculations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The criticisms were as follows

• The multiplier used to extrapolate from food costs to the total cost of living is too low.
• The multiplier used to extrapolate from food costs to the total cost of living is too high.
• The calculation should focus on the cost of housing instead of the cost of food.