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About this quote

What does it mean?
Government actions often make life harder for ordinary families instead of helping them.
In plain terms
Government actions often hurt families instead of helping them.
What can you take from it?
Critically evaluate if government helps or hurts families.

Where it applies

  • policy analysis
  • family advocacy
  • civic engagement

Putting it to work

  • audit policies
  • advocate for change
  • support families

Questions to consider

  • Why do policies fail families?
  • How can government help more?

Another view

Sometimes government intervention is necessary despite unintended consequences.

More from William Julius Wilson

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  3. In the first half of the 1990s, there was an effort to severely divide racial and ethnic groups.

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