Economic Inequality: The American Dream under Siege

by Coral Celeste Frazer

Overview

Millions of Americans don't earn enough money to pay for decent housing, food, health care, and education. Increasingly, families and young people aren't doing better than their parents and grandparents before them. In fact, they're doing worse. And women and minorities earn less than white men. The American Dream is harder to achieve than ever before. Meanwhile, the rich keep getting richer.

Many Americans are angry about economic inequality, and many are working on solutions. Readers will learn how state and local governments, businesses, and ordinary citizens—including young people—are fighting to close the gap between rich and poor, to preserve the promises of American democracy, and to give everyone a fair shot at the American Dream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541521902
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	13 - 14 Years

About the Author

Coral Celeste Frazer has an M.A. in sociology from Princeton University and a long-standing interest in issues of inequality, collective action, and social justice. She writes nonfiction and fiction for teens and adults, as well as reading comprehension items for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). She has lived in Colorado, Oregon, New Jersey, and Boston, and now resides in Norwich, England, with her husband and son.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Rise and Fall and Rise of American Inequality 5

Chapter 2 How Unequal are We? 25

Chapter 3 The Costs of Inequality 39

Chapter 4 Inequality of Opportunity 57

Chapter 5 Money Is Power 75

Chapter 6 What Can Be Done? 95

Source Notes 117

Glossary 119

Selected Bibliography 121

Further Information 124

Index 126

Editorial Reviews

"This exemplary piece of introductory economics deserves a place in every middle and high school library across the land."—starred, Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

02/01/2018
Gr 8 Up—Frazer begins with a history of the American economy, from colonial times to the present. She then defines the extent of current inequalities and the consequences thereof, followed by a discussion of how and why inequality of opportunity is, more often than not, a self-fulfilling prophecy. Final chapters venture into the politics of economic policy and suggestions for citizen participation in the political process. Photos, graphs, charts, sidebars, and the back matter aid in understanding of social and economic concepts and issues. Fifteen of 17 source notes are from websites, such as the Huffington Post and opensecrets.org. The selected bibliography is comprised of 27 sources, 19 of which are websites. The earliest publication date is 2008, with the majority from 2013–17. It would be impossible to approach this topic without bias, particularly in the current polarized political climate, and the author's is subtle but left-leaning. Frazer does her best, however, to maintain balance throughout, using neutral language and carefully giving credence to both sides of the debate. She analyzes from a variety of viewpoints, including gender, race, and socioeconomic and educational levels, thus delving deeper than examining monetary status. VERDICT This is a valuable resource for young adults attempting to untangle the complexities of economics as wells as claims and counterclaims in the political sphere.—Katherine Koenig, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

School Library Journal

★ 2018-02-05
The wheres, whys, and hows of economic inequality in the United States.This exemplary piece of introductory economics deserves a place in every middle and high school library across the land. Frazer has a bell-clear writing style, and the design is intriguing but not frenetic, with clear graphics and intuitive sidebar placement. After a brief but complete look at the roots of economic inequality—from the early American Colonial period through the Gilded Age and then unionization (one bright spot) to outsourcing and automation—Frazer proceeds to demonstrate the changes in wages and accumulation over the last half-century. Two chapters that cover the costs of inequality and limits to opportunities give Frazer a chance to explore the gender and racial aspects of wealth accumulation, especially how money makes money. Frazer keeps an even attitude but can't help but point a finger here and there. On trickle down, she writes, "The wealthy tend to invest a relatively small percentage of their money in projects that hire American workers." The importance of schooling and the burden of college debt lead to a sharp but balanced look at money and power—specifically government. The book concludes with points taken on redistribution, regulation, tax relief, reunionization, citizen action, and voting with your dollars.A fine example of taking the dismal science and making it everyday-usable and giving it a little vroom. (Nonfiction. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews