15 Mind-Blowing Facts About Wealth And Inequality In America

By Gus Lubin

May 07, 2010 "SFGate" -- Real average earnings have not increased in 50 years
The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
Cliché, sure, but it's also more true than at any time since the Gilded Age.
The poor are getting poorer, wages are falling behind inflation, and social mobility is at an all-time low.

The gap between 1% and everyone else hasn't been this bad since the roaring Twenties

Source: The Nation
 

Half of America has only 2.5% of the wealth

Source: Institute for Policy Studies
 

Half of America has only 0.5% of the stocks and bonds

Source: Institute for Policy Studies
 

Look at the gap grow!

Source: Professor G. William Domhoff
 

The last two decades were great... except for American workers

 

Real average earnings have not increased in 50 years

 

But savings rates are sinking

 

Poor Americans have a SLIM CHANCE of rising to the upper middle class

Source: NBER
 

Republican tax cuts have significantly increased the gap

Source:
 

Taxes get better and better for the rich

 

America spreads the wealth FAR LESS than other developed countries

 

America's income spread is nearly twice the OECD average

Source: Economist
 

The gap is NOT growing in many countries, like France

 

Inequality is worst around Wall Street and Oil Land

 

If you aren't in the top 1%, then you're getting a bum deal

 

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