While Vance's observation that many of the problems of poor whites are self-induced is partially correct, it is not entirely correct.
It is in fact true that social elites control impersonal forces that limit the ability of poor, rural whites to improve their lot. Social elites who network with each other create legal preferences for blacks over whites, flood the country with Muslim refugees, refuse to deport Mexicans here illegally, rig financial markets, and offshore decent-paying factory jobs to China. While many poor whites do indeed need some serious self-examination of their own behaviors, no amount of self improvement can overcome the problems enumerated above -- which is why Trump was elected last fall.
Whether he will be able to effect any change remains to be seen.
While Vance's observation that many of the problems of poor whites are self-induced is partially correct, it is not entirely correct.
It is in fact true that social elites control impersonal forces that limit the ability of poor, rural whites to improve their lot. Social elites who network with each other create legal preferences for blacks over whites, flood the country with Muslim refugees, refuse to deport Mexicans here illegally, rig financial markets, and offshore decent-paying factory jobs to China. While many poor whites do indeed need some serious self-examination of their own behaviors, no amount of self improvement can overcome the problems enumerated above -- which is why Trump was elected last fall.
Whether he will be able to effect any change remains to be seen.