Emma
Richman
RWS
200
Inequality
Economic inequality can be defined as the
difference between individuals or populations in the distributions of their
assets, wealth or income. In order for us to see a greater society everyone
deserves a chance at economic success. Unfortunately economic equality has been
a major struggle for America as a nation for quite some time now which has
caused major gaps between the wealthy and the poor. Arthur Brooks, social
scientist and author of many political and economic issues, discusses in his diIn this essay I will discuss how
cultural aspects, technology, globalization and political policy play a large
effect on economic inequality in the united states through the analysis of these
different authors.
In Arthur Brook’s article “Inequality and Unhappiness in America”, he
makes it a solid point that inequality does not directly correlate with
unhappiness. If our leaders focus on getting rid of income inequality then the
underlying problem, lack of income mobility and unhappiness, will not improve.
Brooks believes that we are “mistaking symptom for root cause.” In Maura
Penningtons article, “To Fix Income Inequality, the Have- Nots Must Become the
Do- Somethings” she states that we must “forget our misguided and nihilistic
inclinations to pillage the wealthiest among us.” Pennington on the other hand,
does not believe that the wealthy are the reason for inequality. Instead, she
thinks that we should look up to the wealthy and use their success as
motivation to do better for ourselves. Instead of redistributing a static
supply of resources to the poor and middle class, Pennington believes we must
establish stable institutions to empower people to be free and productive. In
the article “New American Divide” by Charles Murray, he states that “everyone
in the new monetary upper class has the resources to make a wide variety of
decisions that determine whether they engage themselves or their children in
the rest of America or whether they isolate themselves from it” Murray believes
that culture is the main reason for economic inequality. All of these articles
make is seem like economic inequality is not the major issue. Each article
brings up different reasons for the struggle our economy is facing rather than
blaming it solely on economic inequality.
Reich would disagree with many of these articles.
Reich said that the united state has the most unequal distribution of income
out of all the countries and this is the reason we are struggling as a nation.
Like I stated earlier, Pennington makes it a point that inequality is not the
issue. Instead we should see economic inequality as motivation to do better and
move up the economic latter to achieve success. Reich said that in order to
have a strong and successful economy it is crucial to have a vibrant and
growing middle class. Brook’s would say to this that the middle class needs to
work harder in order to help themselves. Reich also stated that it is extremely
important to invest in people, the workforce and the middle class. According to
Pennington, redistributing resources to the middle class is not going to do
anything. We need to encourage people instead to be free and productive on
their own. Krugman and Reich believe inequality is a problem when it is extreme
and when it is connected with low levels of mobility and opportunity. Because
then it makes it hard for people to get out of their social standings.
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