In what ways is wealth in the United States connected to poverty?

Answer 1

In the United States or anywhere else, wealth is connected to poverty only indirectly. Both are such vague and general terms that a specific answer is not possible. In the United States, at least, wealthy people can become poor and poor people can become wealthy.

Wealth can be inherited or accumulated in a person's lifetime. Those that are able to accumulate wealth usually have abilities that enable them and circumstances that allow them to use these abilities.

Poverty can be the circumstances that you're born or raised in or it can be acquired in a person's lifetime. In the case of 'inherited' poverty, a person in the US can also use their abilities to accumulate wealth in their lifetime, IF the circumstances are available to use their abilities. People of any means can become poor from either their own desire, mistakes, or change in circumstances over which they have no control.

The only real connection between poverty and wealth in the US is the abilities, circumstances, and desire of each individual. We are guaranteed the right of 'pursuit of happiness'; we are not guaranteed the result of that pursuit. The pursuit of wealth is a choice that not everyone will make; in fact wealth is not a priority for most people. Poverty may not be a first choice either, but some people in those circumstances may not know how to change those circumstances or may not be willing to do what it takes to change them.