Wealth Gap is ancient.
So it's clear that the archaeology and history departments don't talk much.
Feudal systems of government focus wealth to a privileged few on the backs of workers in abject poverty.
'Tis capitalism what begins to end that and break down the gap.
Republican style democracy shanked it good and hard.
The "poor" in America live in conditions that cannot be obtained for any amount of gold or spice by even the richest king 6,600 years ago. Heck, spices are so cheap they're not even guarded at the store.
There's still a rich and poor gap in capitalism, but the lives of the poor are really much better. The poor lack the rich's luxuries, but don't lack in basic necessities and are still nearly awash in unheard of luxury for most of humanity's existence.
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Our US poor live in larger and better abodes, overall, than do the middle class or even the lower upper class in Europe or most other nations.
ReplyDeleteWhen you can be 'poor' with 3 flatscreen teevees, everyone with the latest smartphones, eating protein levels that only kings maybe could eat, regularly, and drive cars, take trips, drink copious amounts of expensive alcohol, and burn money like it's going out of style, then you're not poor.
Like I tell my younger one (especially); the older one gets it.
ReplyDeleteDo you live in a house with running water, electricity, heat/AC, indoor toilets? A house that's not teeming with vermin like mice, lice, bedbugs? Do you have clean clothes? Food ready to eat or at least immediately cookable, on something that's ready to cook? A fridge? Two cars? A mother and father, married, who love you? Do you need to worry about being shot at when you go out the door? Is medical care a 20 minute ride away?
Then not only are you better off than - guessing here - 70% or more of all people alive today, but better off than 99.99% of all humans throughout history.
Be grateful.