How about show your fellow human beings a modicum of respect. They aren't your lab rats. Maybe if your upper-class, power-heavy minority would reevaluate all the patronizing aspects of their philanthropic efforts, poor folks wouldn't have learned helplessness from the futility of their situation, and would actually have the energy to lift themselves up.
Drug dealing, crime, and prostitution are sometimes seemingly the only way to actually move up in the world anymore.
I'm not interested in respecting and not-patronizing people. I'm interested in a better world and fixing the problems.
A big part of why people are poor (and/or delinquent) is, let's face it, because of how their brains work. Sure, there are lots of socio-economic factors keeping people down, but it's never an either-or issue. And I'm not saying that we should stop trying traditional poverty-bootstrapping tactics, but rather that cognitive enhancement is worth looking into also.
For instance, there was a study done in a prison that showed that fish oil can reduce violent tendencies[1]. It's also known to help with child ADHD[2].
(Actually, the interventions I have in mind would focus more around positive psychology, metacognition/mindfulness training, and applied rationality aka scientific self-help. Just using the fish oil as an example since it's well studied and is a very simple measure to take.)
Also, poor people should be happy that the "upper class" take an interest in raising them up. What do you prefer, patronizing philanthropists or corrupt elites who don't give a rat's ass as to their wellbeing at all?
Drug dealing, crime, and prostitution are sometimes seemingly the only way to actually move up in the world anymore.