"The switch to a democratic, fair and poverty-proof social system is less utopian than some think. It takes place first and foremost in our heads," says Helena Steinhaus, founder and board member of the association Sanktionsfrei (Sanctions-free). Together with the author Claudia Cornelsen, who is also on the board of Sanktionsfrei, she stands firm: our welfare state is in crisis. While some enjoy inheritance and a career, others starve without work, without a home, without any assets. Every fifth child grows up in poverty. Every third single parent is dependent on aid money. Millions of poor individuals receiving extra benefits need state aid despite working. Those affected by poverty are marginalized and stigmatized. Even the new basic income scheme does not change anything. Is this the welfare state that we want?
Helena Steinhaus and Claudia Cornelsen’s answer is a resounding “no!” With surprising facts and knowledge from their own work, they dismantle the common narratives about poverty and wealth. And they show that a not-so-utopian vision of a fair and poverty-proof social system is possible - if you start in the right places. The good news is that it doesn't take much to make it happen.
