Summary

The essay “Poverty is a state of mind” is a brief autobiography of the author, Bernard Hare, presenting important moments in his life. Hare grew up in Leeds, in a small community of miners. Both his parents had low-paid jobs. He recalls that he was not aware of his poverty in the first ten years of his life. He was close to his grandmother and spent most days hanging out in the neighbourhood.

After passing his first exams, he continued to study and went to college. He recalls miners' strikes from his teenage years and his violent behaviour as a football supporter. After finishing his studies and moving away from Leeds, he became a social worker in London.

However, soon after that, the economic and political situation, which directly affected ...