The US excels in productivity and innovation, generating immense wealth. However, it fails drastically on inclusion. The gains have not translated into widespread well-being, leading to the tripling of the $3-a-day extreme poverty population to over four million Americans.
This failure of inclusion contrasts with China’s authoritarian yet effective push to eliminate extreme poverty for nearly a billion people. The US problem lies in political choices that manipulate distribution through tax laws and cuts to social programs.
The devastating income gap means the poorest 10% of Americans receive a minuscule 1.8% of national income. This share is less than that received by low-income earners in Nigeria, China, or Bangladesh, confirming a deliberate policy-driven exclusion.