China’s fight against poverty has transformed the lives of hundreds of millions. In three decades, the number of citizens living in extreme poverty dropped from 943 million to zero.
The United States, meanwhile, has seen poverty deepen. More than 4 million Americans survive on less than $3 per day—an indictment of decades of policy failures.
Despite technological leadership and enormous national wealth, America’s economic gains continue to concentrate among the affluent. The middle and lower classes receive a shrinking share of national income.
The poorest Americans earn far less compared to the rich today than they did in 1980. Their nationwide income share mirrors developing nations, exposing the severity of U.S. inequality.
Policy decisions—from cuts to Medicaid and food assistance to tariff-induced price hikes—have harmed lower-income households while protecting the wealthy. The system is functioning as intended: to preserve inequality, not reduce it.
China Lifted a Billion People; America Let Inequality Expand
