Why has economic inequality increased in the United States?

[Wilson23]

why do you require a universal basic income? worry about that when AI takes over or we go into space

That's just it -- AI is taking over NOW.

 

[JohnEngelman]

can't stop progress and innovations

No, but we can manage them in way that do not exacerbate factors over which decent people have no control. The working poor play the game by the rules but win none of the prizes.

 

[Rightguide]

The Gini coefficient is a statistical measure of wealth inequality. With 0 representing perfect equality, and 1 representing one individual in a society having 100% of income while no one else earns any income. For further reference, a 1% increase represents a society getting 1% closer to someone having 100% of the income of a society, so in this calculation 1% is a substantial increase/decrease. The margin of error in calculating this is generally +/-0.002.

In the 1950s the US had a Gini coefficient of 0.35. In 2024 the score is .47, and trending upwards.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OptimistsUnite/comments/1hxgw8c/what_is_the_optimist_response_for_the_drastic

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In my explanation of the growth of economic inequality I am not complaining about it, although I have not benefited from it. I will try to explain why it has happened, and why it has not become more of a political issue. What follows will be somewhat speculative. I welcome disagreement, and hope the discussion will be courteous, fact based, and rational, and without the insults, name calling, and obscene words which often mar political discussions on internet forums.

I see three reasons for the increase in economic inequality. Democrats and liberals only want to talk about the first.

Because twenty million Third World illegals with nothing were allowed to invade the country and loot financial assets meant for citizens.

 

[Wilson23]

Because twenty million Third World illegals with nothing were allowed to invade the country and loot financial assets meant for citizens.

THAT'S got nothing to do with! We would be having this economic-inequality problem if the border were sealed tight as North Korea's!