Worldview 2018 Year in Review: Inequality
By Steve BynumWorldview 2018 Year in Review: Inequality
By Steve BynumRobert F. Kennedy believed that we could not measure prosperity simply by economic factors. He said in a speech that, “gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play…It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.” Despite a down year for the Dow Industrial Average in 2018, due to historically-low unemployment, and historically higher GDP growth, many observers believe the United States is as prosperous as it’s ever been. Yet, historian and political economist, Jeffrey Winters, author of the book, Oligarchy, believes these numbers mask a deep despair and inequality that permeates America. He’ll help us look back at 2018 to compare the haves to the have nots. Winters also leads Northwestern University’s Equality Development and Globalization studies program.