Illiteracy has not been a problem for most western countries ever since the spread of the public education system. It has traditionally been viewed as a problem for countries with limited resources to create a competent education system. However, in recent years, illiteracy has been rising in developed countries such as the United States and Australia. The following essay will examine some plausible causes, such as lack of funding and rise of poverty, and discuss some of its possible consequences on society. One possible explanation for the rise of illiteracy is the lack of funding. Without proper funding, it is impossible to give every students a competent education. It is known that in some parts of the US, educational systems are underfunded. If schools do not have enough resources to properly educate ever student, the quality of education students receive will be dramatically decreased. Another possible explanation if the rise of poverty in cities. Some paren...