| Reviews / Comptes Rendus | Labour/Le Travail, 50

Reviews / Comptes Rendus

Jean Swanson, Poor-Bashing: The Politics of Exclusion (Toronto: Between the Lines, 2001)

I MUST ADMIT my bias upfront. Jean Swanson is my hero. There is no one I respect more in the Canadian anti-poverty movement. She has decades of experience spearheading the End Legislated Poverty (ELP) group in British Columbia, which produces the publication The Long Haul, to which everyone interested in anti-poverty issues should subscribe. In my opinion ELP is the most strategic anti-poverty organization in the country. When I lived in Vancouver, I was able to see first-hand how effective ELP was at getting its message across to politicians and the public. At demonstrations ELP members would unravel varied lengths of string that clearly illustrated the disparity between Canada's rich and poor. ELP's office has always been a lively place to visit with many, many enthusiastic volunteers who know intimately the experiences of poverty.	1
Swanson's work within ELP gained her a national reputation and she was elected president of the National Anti-Poverty Organization. Following her term as NAPO president, she volunteered to continue to work part-time for the organization. NAPO suggested that she write a book that drew upon her experiences at NAPO and this is the result.	2
If there is but one book about poverty on your shelf to lend to students and family members so they will understand the inequity and injustice of our country — this is the book! This book includes: first-hand accounts of poor-bashing, a historical look at how our treatment of the poor has changed over time, a discourse analysis of how we write about the poor, a keen comparison of how Canada's poor and rich are treated differently, a sound critique of charities (including a checklist for how to give responsibly), proposals for much-needed wealth studies, and an analysis of media accounts of poverty. All of this is written in a very clear manner that provokes the reader to rethink his/her attitudes about Canada's poor. Academically, this book will be extremely useful for undergraduate courses in political science, sociology, history, women's studies, and media studies. And socially, this is a book you can share with your children, parents, neighbours, and friends. You will be well equipped to handle all the liberal and conservative-minded folks in your life.	3
The personal experiences of poor-bashing are chilling. Swanson talks to people who have been beaten, bruised, and even murdered — simply because they were poor. She recalls how NAPO moved its office after finding graffiti that read "Kill the poor." She tells poignant stories of low-income citizens who are vulnerable and afraid to leave their dwellings because of their experiences of poor bashing. She reminds us of how the poor internalize this blatant poor-bashing and blame themselves when they can not make ends meet.	4
Swanson is keenly aware of how discourse about the poor has changed over time. In the 1970s we asked how to end poverty and now we ask how to change the behaviour of the poor, she argues. She cautions us about our use of the words "dependency," "chronic users," "welfare fraud," and she turns these words on their head by associating them with the rich. What about our rich who are "dependent" upon family inheritances? Where are the studies of tax loophole fraud? What should we do about the "wealth trap," which discourages the rich from finding productive employment?	5
This book also provides a critique of media portrayals of poverty. Swanson is concerned about the rise of "poornography," in which the poor are portrayed as long-term sufferers in order to evoke sympathy. Why cannot the poor be treated as equals, with equal rights to fair treatment? Why cannot the media talk about injustice rather than provide us with more sob stories, asks Swanson.	6
Swanson also critiques charities. This is a bold move. Few people, even on the left, venture to actively criticize our charitable organizations. Yet these organizations are notoriously undemocratic and rarely accountable to the poor. The majority on their Boards are not low-income citizens. They produce few surveys for their clients to ensure that they are meeting their clients' needs. Instead, charities maintain a power imbalance between the giver and the receiver that is not easily erased. Swanson provides us with a careful checklist of how we can give responsibly to charities.	7
Finally, Swanson encourages us to look at our own positions of privilege as she casts the same hard lens upon herself. Although she has been poor and poor-bashed, she is very conscious of her middle-class roots. "As a result, I do think I'm an inherently good person. I have talked way too much at meetings, thinking that what I had to say was pretty important.... Even I, working in the anti-poverty movement for years, never stopped to think that years of poor-bashing had silenced some people, made them think their thoughts were unworthy," Swanson recalls. (162) It is this insight that altered Swanson's own ways of doing everyday politics. She tries to listen more, assume less leadership. She provides us with a checklist of how we all, too, can attempt to equalize power.	8
Swanson lives what she writes. When I contacted her a year ago, hoping to give her an honorary university degree, she adamantly declined. "I am only one person — this organization works because of so many people," she said. Even when I tried to convince her that this would help make university students more aware of poverty issues, she refused. Instead, by the end of the conversation, she had me promise to write a piece for The Long Haul. This is indicative of Swanson's commitment to abolishing poverty. Through this book and all her everyday actions Swanson makes it clear that we are all guilty by our complacency — we are all part of the problem if we do not actively choose to be part of the solution. One active choice you can make is to buy the book, read it, and pass it along to everyone you know.	9
Margaret Little Queen's University

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