Dec 8, 2020

The cost of income inequality

From the mid-1970s on, while the U.S. economy has grown, fewer people have reaped the benefits. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A new study from the RAND Corporation presents striking data that shows income inequality has cost the bottom 90% of workers about $2.5 trillion. And, negotiations on a $908 billion coronavirus relief bill appear stalled Tuesday morning.

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Reimagining the Economy

New Rand study quantifies cost of rising U.S. inequality

by David Brancaccio and Daniel Shin

Dec 8, 2020

In the past 40 years, income inequality has cost 90% of workers about $2.5 trillion, the Rand study suggests.

From the mid-1970s on, while the U.S. economy has grown, fewer people have reaped the benefits.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The team

David Brancaccio Host

Victoria Craig Host, BBC

Stephen Ryan Senior Producer, BBC

Jonathan Frewin Producer, BBC

Daniel Shin Producer

Jay Siebold Technical Director

Meredith Garretson Morbey Senior Producer

Alex Schroeder Producer

Erika Soderstrom Producer

Rose Conlon Producer

Brian Allison Technical Director

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