Quote of the Day, July 25, 2012
America has far less social mobility than other wealthy countries. Americans who are born poor are more likely to stay poor than citizens of other wealthy countries. Economic success in America is more dependent on the economic status of your parents than in other wealthy countries.
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America has higher degrees of income inequality and wealth inequality than citizens of other wealthy countries. Moreover, America generally has less social supports for the poor than other wealthy countries.
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Some blame the media for failing to raise America’s awareness of the dismal facts regarding our limited social mobility and our inequality of opportunity. Some blame complacency of the American people and general apathy. Some blame our political process for having too much inertia to enable change. Some blame the organizers for failing to convey their protest messages clearly. Some blame the power structures for dampening the voices of the protesters.
- An excerpt from America’s Incomplete Thoughts About Inequality and Meritocracy, an article by Howard Steven Friedman, published on Huffington Post. Friedman is Statistician/Economist for International Organization, Columbia University.
