China Lifts Millions; America’s Safety Nets Shrink

China’s ability to raise almost a billion people out of extreme poverty between 1990 and 2019 remains one of the world’s most impressive social accomplishments.
Meanwhile, the U.S. faces worsening poverty. More than 4 million Americans live on less than $3 a day, despite extraordinary national wealth.
American productivity continues rising, but economic gains accumulate among the richest households. Middle- and low-income families face stagnation.
Income inequality has created a society where the poorest Americans earn less, proportionally, than the poor in several developing nations.
Cuts to healthcare, nutrition support, and social programs—paired with tariffs that raise essential costs—have pushed many further into hardship. America’s system reinforces inequality.