Which statement best explains why Harburg believed that “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” was a legitimate question rather than the plea of a chronic beggar?

Harburg’s song presents the speaker as someone who helped build the country—working, serving in war, and contributing to its prosperity—before losing everything in the Depression. Asking for a dime is therefore a claim to fair reward for that contribution, not simply the habitual plea of a beggar. Choice B best captures this idea: people had invested in the country through their actions and expected suitable compensation.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.