When you have correlations has high as shown in some of the graphs being posted, it becomes a bit difficult to hand wave causality away. There is a very obvious link between single parenthood
Imputing causality is not quite that simple. In this particular case, one can posit that it could go either way--poverty causes single parenthood (which I'll leave as your negative, not mine), or single parenthood causes poverty. It's clear, however, that a high correlation doesn't carry a notion of direction of causality; nor necessarily of causality. Lots of thing happen together, regularly, without one "causing" the other, at least in the routine use of the word causality.
Policy proposals, obviously, assume causal direction. If single parenthood causes poverty, as the Heritage foundation appears to believe, then the aim is to reduce single parenthood. And their choice is information. If the reverse is true, job programs, better welfare benefits, etc. are far more important.
My own conviction is that education is the key social leverage here. It won't get rid of poverty but, if properly provided, it will help children borne into poverty escape from it. |
