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Please note that all pages are written in the Modern Language Association Format. For more information, see MLA Format Defined. |
Two nations between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other’s habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or inhabitants of different planets… The rich and the poor.
–Benjamin Disraeli, 1845 ("Disraeli")
More so than in other developed nations, there is a stark disparity between the conditions in which the upper and lower segments of American society live. This dichotomy of condition is unhealthy for society as a whole, and instead of declining, the disparity of income between the richest and the poorest has grown 14 percent since 1976. The wealthiest 20 percent of Americans earn almost 50 percent of aggregate income. The poorest 20 percent, on the other hand, earn a mere four percent of the nation’s total income ("Inequality"). In any nation, not everyone will be equal or in the exact same social position. We cannot hope or expect to achieve a completely egalitarian society because different individuals have different aims in life and various levels of motivation. What is possible, however, is to attempt to lessen the gap between these segments. Over two hundred years ago, American Revolutionaries sought to break their bonds with Great Britain to rid themselves of "the sharp hierarchical social distinctions of colonial society and replace them with the concept of Republican citizenship." Although they demanded political equalities, their demands were closely linked to social equalities. We should try to maintain the social equality for which the revolutionaries fought. Political participation can be encouraged by placing people on similar social levels (Hudson 229-230).
Our country’s collective pursuit of the "American Dream" breeds over 600,000 new businesses to incorporate each year. Though very profitable for some, others are left behind because of a lack of opportunity. For some, the reason for this lack of opportunity is their inability to access the American educational system. For others, the problem may lie in their failure to understand the necessity of a good work ethic. Some people face different challenges which leave them with less opportunity for success. Whatever the reason, some people are "winners" in life, and others are unfortunately "losers" (Samuelson).
Inequality has a potential to divide the nation. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich said that the "secession of successful America" so that it has little interaction with the less fortunate majority "threatens our nation’s prosperity and stability" (Boroughs). In the United States, the richest ten percent of the population have incomes almost six times the income of the poor at the tenth percentile. In Germany, the income of the richest ten percent is only three times greater, and in Canada and Italy, it is four times greater (Samuelson). Steven Rattner, a managing director at the investment bank Lazard Freres, remarks, "Even those of us in business can see that this can’t be the right answer for this country, either socially or economically," illustrating that the widening gap between the rich and the poor is a concern for the corporate world as well as the political world. In cases of severe inequality, people lose faith in government and sometimes even resort to crime. To counteract the growth of inequality, welfare reform needs to be instituted to curb the abuses of the system and ensure that those truly in need of assistance receive it. Persons constantly searching for sustenance cannot carry out their public responsibilities. Also, higher education needs to be made available to poorer Americans. Equality of opportunity is mandatory for a democratic government to work properly (Boroughs).