Argumentum ad lazarum

Argumentum ad lazarum or appeal to poverty is the logical fallacy of thinking a conclusion is correct because the speaker is poor, or it's incorrect because the speaker is rich. It is named after Lazarus, a beggar in a New Testament parable who receives his reward in the afterlife.

This is popularly exploited as the statement, "Poor, but honest."

Examples

Family farms are struggling to get by so when they say we need to protect them, they must be on to something.

The homeless tell us it’s hard to find housing. Thus it must be.

The monks have forsworn all material possessions. They must have achieved enlightenment.

All you need to know about the civil war in that country is that the rebels live in mud huts, while the general who sends troops against them sits in a luxurious, air-conditioned office.

A notable example is John McCain and Sarah Palin's "Joe the Plumber" campaign in the 2008 Presidential Election: Joe the Plumber is lower-middle class. Therefore, his views are more correct than the elite.

The opposite is the argumentum ad crumenam.

References

• Georgia State University
• Philosophical Society - logical fallacies