Does rising income inequality pose a threat to American democracy?
This question has long been taboo in American politics. Yet as "Occupy
Wall Street" spreads across the United States, the political consequences
of income inequality are grabbing headlines as never before.
The income gap in the U.S. has risen steadily since the 1970s. Today, it's
the highest in the developed world.
The statistics are daunting: 1 percent of Americans account for a quarter of
the nation's wealth. And while the nation's rich have gotten richer, the poor
have gotten poorer. Today, one in six Americans lives in poverty.
Many of those occupying Wall Street argue that mounting income inequality threatens
our democracy.
They warn that as America's middle class dwindles, its ability to affect political
change shrinks. Recent cuts to education, healthcare, and other public services
only diminish opportunities for those without independent wealth.
Critics of "Occupy Wall Street" have denounced such claims as class
warfare. They have labeled protestors as Communists, populists, and anti-American.
The key to success in America lies in individuals' resolve to rise above difficult
circumstances. Governments, they say, should play no role in this.
But protestors counter that without access to equal education and health care,
the majority of Americans just can't compete with the wealthy. Cuts to basic
services only lessen their chances for political participation. In this sense,
income inequality may not be a question of just economic fairness, but of democratic
values.
Which raises the question: When does income inequality become political inequality?
By Marlene
Spoerri
For more information see
Timothy Noah, "The
United States of Inequality," Slate Magazine, September 3, 2011
Sabrina Tavernise, "Soaring
Poverty Casts Spotlight on 'Lost Decade'," The New York Times,
September 13, 2011
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