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  • Essay / The Problem of Rising Economic Inequality in America: Assessing the Work of Joseph E. Stiglitz, Robert Rector, and Rachel Sheffield

    Table of ContentsIntroductionMy PositionOpposing PositionRefutation of Opposing PositionSummary of PositionIntroductionDespite the fact that there is unusually long history of concern With economic inequality, interest in this issue has increased significantly after decades of stability. Economic inequality is the unequal distribution of wages and opportunities among various groups in society. It has been a concern in many countries around the world and has recently made it more difficult for some individuals to have opportunities to advance in society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Joseph E. Stiglitz, Robert Rector, and Rachel Sheffield provide different explanations for whether or not increasing economic inequality is a serious problem. Stiglitz demonstrates the vast and growing inequalities in America and argues that they result from the exploitation of workers and the functioning of capitalism. Both Rector and Sheffield firmly believe that inequality isn't that bad since the poor are pretty well off when you look at it. the facts about their living conditions, their poverty, the regularity of their food supply and their overcrowding. In my opinion, both sides of this argument make very interesting points, but Rector and Sheffield have more organized information than Stiglitz, so I will evaluate their explanations to find who has the more reasonable ending. Inequality is a notable problem that requires some form of redress, some oppose this idea. One of the first points raised by Rector and Sheffield is that they believe that the poor do not have much difficulty since they are quite well off thanks to their living conditions and the food supply of their communities. Over time, the poor were able to demand stabilized amenities for their households. These amenities include color televisions, telephones, and kitchens equipped with an oven, stove, and refrigerator. However, based on the data from the table of amenities in poor households, it indicates that the wide range of modern amenities in the homes of poor households Poverty is the result of decades of steady progress in the living standards of the poor. The graph also shows that not all poor families are able to acquire all the amenities listed. In addition to housing supply, there is also poverty and malnutrition. There is little or no evidence of poverty-induced malnutrition in the United States. However, it is often believed that lack of financial resources forces the poor to adopt poor-quality, nutrient-deficient and high-fat diets. Survey data show that nutritional density does not vary by income class. In the United States, eating healthy costs three times as much as eating unhealthy foods and the price gap is widening, according to a study from the University of Cambridge. The average increase in healthy foods increased by £1.84 per 1,000 calories over the decade, while unhealthy foods increased by 73p for the same energy intake. This puts the poor in a strict position where they must think about what they buy to maintain a stable income. So even if the poor wanted to eat healthier, they don't have the funds to follow through and instead have to endure buying unhealthy foods to make it last.their salary until the next one. Rector and Steffield then lay out points regarding nutrition and poor children, consistency of the food supply, temporary food shortages, and homelessness. For example, even if a poor household has an adequate or good overall food supply, measured over a moderate period, it might still have to reduce or go without meals if food stamps eventually run out. of the month.Opposing positionStiglitz strongly believes that inequalities are not inevitable. He begins his argument talking about how a rich country like America is filled with so many poor people despite the wealth of that country. Inequality in America today is primarily about the nature of our society, our view of who we are, and the view others have of us. He mentions that similar stories could be told about each of the dimensions of America's outsized inequality, for example, health care. America is the only advanced country that does not recognize access to health care as a basic human right, which means that if you are a poor person in the United States, your chances of getting adequate medical care, and even less quality, are worse than in other advanced countries. For example, healthcare in public hospitals is free for all Australian citizens and permanent residents of Australia. A combination of Medicare, private health insurance and out-of-pocket payments covers the cost of treatment as a private patient in a public or private hospital. As a result, this proves how American healthcare is not as effective as Australia's. While US citizens have to worry about paying for healthcare, Australians don't have to worry. Recent studies have shown that Stiglitz believes that if we provided more opportunities for the poor, including better education and an economic system that guaranteed access to well-paying jobs, then maybe we wouldn't spend so much on prisons but We would rather give the poor a chance. seize new employment opportunities, thereby making our economy more productive. On the off chance that money reaches those with low livelihoods, there would certainly be higher total expenses, more occupations, and essentially, a stronger economy. Furthermore, if wage dispersion continues to tilt in favor of low wages, the capacity for development of the economy will increase. Unemployment would be fundamentally lower and there would thus be a self-perpetuating cycle of more entrenched movements. Many will agree with him that we do not need to eliminate inequality, but rather moderate it and restore the American dream. Refutation of the Opposing Position Stiglitz had many positive points, however, I'm not sure I agree with all of his arguments. complaints. The first problem with Stiglitz's argument, in my opinion, is when he claims that many children who grow up in poverty never end up living outside of poverty. This has been proven by many famous people such as Jennifer Lopez who grew up in a Bronx apartment and is now reportedly worth $300 million, Tom Cruise who grew up in poverty with an abusive father is now reportedly worth $380 million, Justin Bieber. who grew up with a single mother living in low-income housing and is now reportedly worth $200 million, and Mariah Carey who grew up on Long Island where her family struggled financially after her parents divorced and which is now reportedly worth $510 million. automatically assuming that since.