Income Inequality By Kathryn Edin - 1227 Words

Income Inequality Kathryn Edin’s newly published book did not shock its readers; $2 a Day revealed economic exploitation and poverty in the United States. Edin’s publication, comprised of two decades of quantitative research and analysis, declared 1.5 million household incomes financially support $2 per person, per day (Edin). America, the land of prosperity and opportunity, lost its appeal as it plunged into financial crises and economic instability: the root cause being income inequality. The application of capitalism directly causes income inequality, therefore forcing the American people to face dire consequences; however, its counterpart, socialism, does not provide the necessary framework to lessen economic gaps and create a stable economy. Capitalism captivates the ideologies of individual prosperity based upon hard work and merit while encompassing social and political facets of the United States. Free market economies mirror the political and personal libe rties granted by the Constitution. They allow privatized businesses to be run at the liberty of their owners and investors (â€Å"Capitalism†). Capitalism requires a cyclic relationship between a consumer society dependent on purchasing goods and businessmen. Middle class workers invest their money in big businesses and create high demands in products and services. Business owners quickly profit from the influx of consumer habits; as their businesses grow, business owners can afford to hire moreShow MoreRelatedAttitudes on Poverty Essay1636 Words   |  7 Pagespoverty more in structural terms (Clydesdale 1999). He also found that higher education resulted in less sympathy for the poor, and that Americans with college degrees were much less likely to support government efforts to get rid of the differences in income between the rich and poor, viewing poverty in more individualistic terms (Clydesdale 1999). RACE In her study Francis Adeola (2005) focused on the differences between blacks and whites in their attitudes toward poverty in the United States. Read MoreSocial And Economic Injustices Of America s War On The Public Good Essay2057 Words   |  9 PagesBeyond. In ‘Nobody,’ published earlier this year, Hill sets the scene of social injustice through his analysis of the vulnerable, providing a snapshot of social upheaval. Two other literary works, $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin and Luke Shaefer, and Bryan Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy: A story of justice and redemption, additionally seek to describe how social injustices and economic issues manifest in America. Together, all three texts use shocking personal accounts from