Nicholas Kristof in this article points to new studies on IQ that show that poverty has a severely negative effect on IQ and that education has a positive impact on it. This contrasts with earlier studies suggesting that it was more a factor of genetics... but Kristof points out that kids in poverty were not included in these studies.
His conclusion is that early childhood education be intensified, and I would also think that anti-poverty efforts not only improve people's lives but their minds, and all of that would have a positive effect on the nation's wealth.
"that anti-poverty efforts not only improve people's lives but their minds"
ReplyDeleteAnti-poverty efforts by the government only increase poverty.