The Alternative: Most of What You Believe About Poverty Is Wrong

by Mauricio L. Miller

Clara Miller, President of the F. B. Heron The Alternative, is not only important reading, it’s imperative. Miller, a trained engineer, the one-time manager of a top social service organization and most importantly, the son of a remarkable single mother, has both lived and observed the failings embodied in our attitudes toward the poor and, as a result, the flaws in our systems meant to help people in poverty. He merges heart and soul with system thinking to yield a prescription featuring the real math, trust relationships and courage that can change the “us and them,” to “upward together” and put American families in the driver’s seat to build their futures.

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics, Politics

226 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2017

Reviews

[Vance Ginn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miller tells the story of his family’s struggles but the strength of his mom to support his success. His mom didn’t have much but didn’t want handouts either. What he found was that welfare or nonprofit handouts can make the situation worse.

This mental model along with his work in the nonprofit community helped him learn how to best help others through family and community.

Poverty is not something that government or nonprofits can just turn dials on or spend more on to solve. Instead the solution is strengthening the institutions of family and community.

In other words, institutions matter, especially those closest to those in poverty. I highly recommend this book: 4 stars.

[Daniel Erspamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb and thought-provoking look at how we treat poverty - and why it's all wrong. I don't necessarily agree with all of the points of view presented by the author, but it gives an important point of view - and incredible recommendations - on how we actually make the change we seek.

[Samantha Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically it’s all about radical trust and asset based community development.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The power of this book comes from the stories and the experiences of the author's work with the Family Independence Initiative, especially the real-life examples of successful investments in the self-determination of low-income families and communities to solve their own challenges related to housing, labor and youth behaviors.

The beauty of this book is that its inspirational and thought-provoking themes are rooted in the author's personal account of his Mexican mother's sacrificial love, wisdom and capability.

I would have liked to see a bit more tying this Innovative and apparently underappreciated work to larger debates about the causes and dimensions of poverty. But overall, this less-heralded book is a worthwhile read for anyone concerned about the cultural and policy changes needed to help lift people out of poverty, or just want to be uplifted by some real-life American underdog tales.

[Will Helmbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book did what it intended to do. I learned something in every chapter. His vision/“the alternative” seemed idealistic in the beginning, but by the end it was clear and realistic. I really enjoyed this!

[Sasha Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For fifteen years, I've done literacy and education work in Laos, and I've concluded the same thing about the aid industry here, as Mauricio Miller did about poverty programs in the USA. Most poverty experts, he writes, "highlight only the data or stories that backs a deficit view of low-income families." I recently wrote much the same in an essay: "Unicef needs the needy."

Best of all, he's thoughtful about solutions. Poor people do not need advice from well-intended experts with no skin in the game, who know nothing of their situation. But often they would benefit from good information about what others have done, and what has worked. The experts can help best by getting out of the way.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

5+ stars for the concepts. Anyone in government—all elected leaders, all policy-makers, all non-profits that address issues of poverty—should read this.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Alternative explains Mauricio Miller's philosophy when it comes to tackling poverty, which he does through his Family Independence Initiative (FII). FII is a revolutionary organization that follows the initiative and creativity of the families that it serves. Their bare-bones staff serves primarily to gather data (related to incomes, education, health, social circles, and mutuality among other factors) and report that data back to the families to track their progress and see the aggregate process of their peers. FII recruits a family to their program then asks them to recruit four other families who they trust.
The program is therefore built on families supporting one another, sharing ideas on best practices, rather than relying on the (often-misguided) advice of experts.
FII trusts that families are experts in their own lives and that with their own ingenuity can find the best ways to pull themselves out of poverty for good. While that statement seems rather benign, it is quite revolutionary in political climate where the right derides imagined "welfare queens" and many on the left support paternalistic social programs that rob families of their dignity and self-determination.
With over twenty years of experience in the traditional social services sector, Miller speaks from a place of profound experience and understanding when telling the story of low-income Americans. His primary strength is as a story-teller, starting with the life of his mother, who immigrated from Mexico and raised two children on her own while working multiple jobs. Just as with his mother, Miller rightly sees the best in many other immigrants and advocates for them tirelessly in this book.
While this book is not strong on facts and figures on poverty and tends to paint with some very broad strokes (issues I think could be easily fixed by a good editor), it is a worthwhile read. I have certainly benefited from Miller's wisdom and understand the value of his life's work of empowering families to take their lives into their own hands.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m thrilled I read this book. This is one of the most inspiring, thought-provoking, creatively imaginative books I’ve read. What Mauricio has done through the creation of the Family Independence Initiative is not necessarily something I want to copy but it is something I learn from - wow! This book is one that I want to get all my friends to read and then ask them about. It isn’t the best written thing I’ve read, but it does make me think and see the world a little differently. The author writes of his shift from running social service programs for people to overseeing a program that learns from the way people without much money accomplish things, builds on the ways in which people use their talents, and invests in what people are doing themselves to make their lives stronger.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read regarding Miller’s family struggles after moving to the US for a better life. Miller dissects the obstacles nonprofits may unknowingly create to “help” individuals experiencing poverty. Valuable insights regarding how nonprofits can find alternative ways to help communities by stepping back and allowing individuals to self-lead their life’s journey through positive deviance and trust-based approaches.
Quick weekend read. Would recommend it to fellow colleagues working in nonprofits.
Trigger warnings: suicide and domestic violence are mentioned.

[Nick Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt the beginning and the end was fascinating about Mauricio's upbringing, and also about not blaming families for the situations they are in.

Even though I appreciate Mauricio's work and dedication to the FII and the communities he supports, I don't think book was the right platform to tell people about it. I felt I was reading a report rather a book.

Nonetheless, it was an interesting read.

[Yoni Medhin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story overall. This man is incredible.

I was very impressed by how many families (2000+) were impacted by the “hands off” approach, which was systemized and deployed at an international scale by the author. This book lays out a system for lifting people out poverty that encourages agency in a way that appeases both liberals and conservatives.

[Susan Tailby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deserves 10 stars - such an informative and thoughtful read, about putting economically disadvantaged communities first and seeing what individuals and groups are doing right first, not just issues and problems.
Very, very practical and written from the background of one who knows what it is to be economically disadvantaged - a new way of honouring communities by letting individuals and groups be the change. Listen and learn!

[Sabastian Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extraordinary. The program the author built to tackle poverty is brilliant in its simplicity and scalability. Should be required reading for every liberal and conservative. Be warned that the book starts off slow and doesn’t seem like they hired an editor.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compelling concept for sure, and I'm convinced Mr. Miller is doing great work. But the book itself didn't feel like the best vehicle to tell his story.

[Steve Ewing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows how we can be more effective in helping those that are working to get out of poverty

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short book by a guy doing good work.

[Angus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read.

[Ben Wikner · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring and moving book. Author's advocacy for Peer Driven Change resonates with our own learning in seeking to empower people and overcome poverty.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insights, but it took me a long time to get through the whole book

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is possibly the most important reading for anyone working in social services or nonprofit organizations. Miller is proposing a paradigm shift in the way we fight poverty. This book will complicate a lot of the preconceived notions we hold about poverty and anti-poverty programs. I'm so glad he wrote this. It will guide me in my fight to end poverty in America.

[Paula Cassin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring innovative exciting example of how one might empower people to get past survival into prosperity. Wish everyone had read this.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gang of Four said it best - "To Hell with Poverty." But this guy says some thoughtful things too. "