China’s successful campaign against extreme poverty is unprecedented. Within 30 years, it lifted nearly a billion people above a survival-level income.
The U.S., despite its immense wealth, has failed its poorest citizens. Extreme poverty has grown to more than 4 million people.
America’s productivity remains world-class, yet its prosperity is captured by affluent groups, leaving little for those at the bottom.
Middle-class and poor households have seen their economic positions weaken relative to the rich. The poorest Americans earn a national income share associated with developing regions.
Cuts to social services, healthcare, and nutrition programs—alongside tariffs—have intensified economic pressures on vulnerable groups. Inequality is a systemic choice.