The Problem of Social Inequality

Social Inequality in America is a big issue. This video is a trailer for a new set of documentaries on the issue. I have to point out one flaw I saw in this clip, which is that there are multiple references to republican government officials being bought, but no specific references to democrats being bought. I find this laughably ridiculous because both sides of the aisle are chock full of purchased politicians. All of Capitol Hill is a corporate mistress in my opinion. While the republican party may be more ideally aligned with the rich, the corruption is very "bipartisan." In my opinion, the two party system is just a good puppet show that helps placate America and prevent any substantial change, but there I go getting all conspiracy theory-ish again. Hopefully, the full documentary is a little less biased.

That being said, this clip, and the website, seem to be on the right track in general. America is absurdly wealthy and developed as a nation, and yet inequality is getting worse. Why is that? Statistics show that the wealth continues to accumulate in the hands of the already wealthy. The cliche that the rich keep getting richer while the poor get poorer is in fact true. The issue here is not that some people are rich nor that some are poor. It is not about "class warfare" and despising the rich because they have and we do not. No, the problem is not about the rich having too much. Rather, it is about so many not having enough. Who cares if Richie Rich lives in a billion dollar mansion without having to work a day in his life, as long as the rest of us at least have the opportunity to work hard and afford a modest home and reasonable lifestyle that doesn't force us to beg or die young of stress-induced heart attacks from working 3 jobs to survive. Actually, some do care a lot about this dichotomy, but most Americans are okay with some inequality. Inequality is inherent and unavoidable in our society as it is, but gross levels of inequality are not unavoidable, and they are killing the American dream.

The American dream is based on meritocracy, the idea that success is based upon personal merit. If you work hard enough and play by the rules, you can and will achieve success, which is usually pictured as a middle class life that includes the picket fence and all. Is this true or did someone just make this up? Well.. It was true at one point for some people. For the great immigrant masses coming to America up until the 20th century, this idea was plausible, if not probable. This idea remained fairly accurate into the 20th century for SOME (think of the path for African-Americans or women other than picturesque married housewives). But, is it true today?  Not really. If the heart of the dream were that some people who work really hard might possibly achieve a middle class life, then it would be absolutely true. However, the idea that anyone who works hard enough and plays by the rules can achieve a middle class life (or even a noticeably better life), is simply not true. Everyone does not have this opportunity. So many are never given near enough social capital to attain this dream. For them, the American dream is a myth that haunts them daily. This is the problem of gross inequality. When conditions become such that success is primarily a matter of ascribed luck rather than merit, then the American dream dies and takes with it the hopes and futures of generations of people unlucky enough to be born outside of the privileged classes of society.

D. Matthew Ray

**Update:  Thank you to Amy Reynolds from Black, White, and Gray for pointing out this great Economist article on the issue. Especially good is the section under the heading "A long ladder is fine but it must have rungs."