Weiser rejects thesis that there is a causal link between poverty and
crime:
==============
one fairly well-established cause of crime is unemployment,
underemployment, and poverty (Scott, as you so eloquently said in
your
"What I'd do to lazy welfare Queens" treatise, idle hands do the
devil's work).

Sorry, but no. I dispute your thesis and your conclusion.
======================

Reject my thesis and my conclusion if you will. May I offer up the
conclusions of Chinese economists and Chinese leaders on the topic of
income disparity and crime (and revolution):

"SOURCE:
http://www.macrochina.com.cn/english...10002002.shtml

Aug 10 2001

Income disparity in China

There is increasing concern about income disparity around China. Last
March, Premier Zhu Rongji said according to 1999 figures the Gini
coefficient (used to measure income inequality) of China was 0.39,
''close to the internationally recognized danger level''.

Some Chinese economists, however, believe that the ''danger level'' has
already been passed, and that official statistics considerably
understate the income gap.

At any rate, there is no doubt that China is in the grip of widespread
discontent. Rising crime and serious, if sporadic, protests are a sign
that even though absolute poverty is declining, at least in the
countryside, rising relative poverty is resented. And in the cities,
absolute poverty is increasing as well.

Small wonder then if Chinese leaders are spooked by income disparities
that are ominously similar to those that fuelled the revolution 50
years ago. (Economist.com)"


Well, Scott?

frtzw906