The Wealth Divide

by Noel Merino

Overview

Many economists argue that the Great Recession and the Occupy movement are just two symptoms of a deep issue in the United States: wealth is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. Are these economists right? Should wealth be distributed equally? Should it be distributed at all? Why do patterns of wealth seem to fall along racial and ethnic lines? Is taxation of the rich to help the poor ethical? Experts analyze these issues and more from diverse perspectives, offering nuanced interpretations of the problems and novel solutions. Writers include Jonathan Rauch, Robert A. Levy, and Thomas Sowell.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780737771985
Publisher:	Greenhaven Publishing LLC
Publication date:	01/29/2015
Series:	At Issue Series: Economy
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	104
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	15 - 17 Years

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

1 The Wealth Divide Between Rich and Poor Harms the US Economy Jonathan Ranch 10

2 A Cell Phone in Every Pot Aparna Mathur 18

3 Income Inequality Causes Serious Social Ills and Should Be Reduced Thomas L. Hungerford 23

4 Income Inequality Is Not Unfair and Does Not Need to Be Eliminated Arthur C. Brooks 31

5 A House Divided Thomas J. Sugrue 34

6 Disparities in Achievement Along Racial and Ethnic Lines Are the Norm Thomas Sowell 44

7 Race, Wealth, and Intergenerational Poverty Darrick Hamilton 48

8 How to Fix America's Wealth Inequality: Teach Americans to Be Cheap Noah Smith 54

9 Reflections on Inequality Robert A. Levy 60

10 To Reduce Inequality, We Should Help the Poor Not Tax the Rich James Q. Wilson 64

11 Americans Want Less Wealth Inequality than Currently Exists Michael I. Norton Dan Ariely 70

12 That Americans Want Less Wealth Inequality Is Irrelevant Max Borders 73

13 The Unequal Wealth Created by the Rich Is Essential for the Economy Richard A. Epstein 80

Organizations to Contact 89

Bibliography 94

Index 99