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I believe poverty perpetuates for two main reasons. 1) So many of your life's opportunities are determined by your parents 2) government is not doing what it can to help.

In America, the quality of your education is determined by what school district you live in, which is basically determined by how much money you make. The poor attend the worst schools, and the cycle continues. Also consider the values of hard work, discipline, professionalism. We usually get these from our parents, but if our parents are unemployed, or underemployed, do we get it at all? This, of course, is all oversimplified, but I'm sure you get where I'm going.

The poor are a politically disenfranchised group (i.e. without power and influence). As a result, lawmakers, concerned with re-election, higher office, etc., gain little by catering to the poor.