These are the topline results of a YouGov/Huffington Post survey of 1000 US adults interviewed April 15 - 16, 2014 on poverty. The results show that people tend not to blame poverty on individual failings. The margin of error is 4.3%.
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When people are poor, do you think that’s more likely to be because they had fewer opportunities or because of their individual failings?
Fewer opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44%
Individual failings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26%
When people are poor, do you think that’s more likely to be because good jobs aren’t available, or because they have a poor work ethic?
Good jobs aren’t available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47%
Poor work ethic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25%
When people are wealthy, do you think that’s more likely to be because they had more opportunities than other people or because they worked harder than other people?
Had more opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52%
Worked harder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18%
Which comes closer to your own view about people who are unemployed?
Most are trying hard to find jobs but can’t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51%
Most could find jobs if they wanted to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13%
Which comes closer to your own view about people who have been unemployed for more than 6 months?
Most are trying hard to find jobs but can’t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45%
Most could find jobs if they wanted to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41%
Not sure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15%
