@corndog2k2 posed the question "When should poverty be blamed on the system and when should it be blamed on the person in poverty?"
Poverty is a complicated issue. There is no single solution to it. In many countries, people do not have adequate resources to meet their basic needs such as food, water, and shelter. This is a case that arises from a lack of infrastructure, natural water sources, disease, and a myriad of other things. This is a form of extreme poverty that is not anywhere near being placed on the system or the person, rather it can almost be thought of as a geographical issue. The people are not in a place that allows them to be fit for survival, especially as the population increases. In some of these cases, relocation is the best start.
Similarly, in developed nations with advanced infrastructure, technology, and resources, relocation is a possible first step in the solution to poverty. Many people living below the poverty line in a developed nation would benefit by relocating to an area with a cheap cost of living and an economy with plenty of jobs. Even a person with no skills could find a job that would allow them to live above the poverty line in this circumstance, assuming nothing else is holding them back (such as having several children to provide for). In this case, I believe blame can be placed on the person.
There are times when blame can and should be placed on the system. An unfair justice system that over punishes for certain crimes could hold a person back from creating a better life. The system can also be blamed when it is more expensive to be poor than to not be. For example, many people in the middle class will buy items at the store in bulk because the cost per item is lower. A person in poverty may not be able to afford the bulk package, resulting in them spending more money per good than others. The system should be blamed when it is increasingly hard to stop being poor because of the economic or legal system, and only in this case. If a person's choices block them from digging out of poverty, blame the person. If being in poverty is an effect of government regulations, laws, or programs, by all means blame the system.
