2015 LC SUMMER MAGAZINE

23 / 58

HOUSEHOLDS
HEADED BY
SINGLE PARENT
ACCORDING TO THE
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE
MALE
ACCORDING TO ELIZABETH GUDRAIS
REFERENCES
“The Top 1 Percent in International and Historical Perspective” by Facundo
Alvaredo, Anthony B. Atkinson, Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez in The
Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 27, No. 3. Summer 2013.
“Why Hasn’t Democracy Slowed Rising Inequality?” By Adam Bonica, Nolan
McCarty, Keith T. Poole, and Howard Rosenthal in The Journal of Economic
Perspectives, Vol. 27, No. 3. Summer 2013.
“Postsecondary Education and Increasing Wage Inequality” by Thomas
Lemieux in The American Economic Review, Vol. 96, No. 2. May 2006.
“Unequal America,” by Elizabeth Gudrais, Harvard Magazine, July-Aug. 2008.
Elizabeth Moorhouse, Ph.D., chair
of Economics Department. Her
research interests include feminist
economics, women in higher
education, U.S. economic history,
and political economy.
The United States prides itself as being
the land of equal opportunity.
It is up to our students and
the generations that follow
to determine whether the
American dream is in jeopardy.
COLLEGE
GRADUATE
HIGHER
THAN
38%
1973
low income jobs. This disparity
contributes to the increased gap
between those at the bottom and
those at the top.
Addressing marriage trends
and finding ways to help low-
income families afford college
are stymied by attitudes. As a
group, Americans appear to be
more comfortable with income
inequality. According to the
World Values Survey, Americans
were nearly twice as likely as
Europeans to agree with the
statement “the poor could escape
poverty if they worked hard enough.” If unequal economic
outcomes are viewed as the result of one’s own effort instead of
the result of unfair economic and social systems, people will
focus on promoting ineffective solutions or worse yet, dismiss it
as a problem that does not need to be fixed.
Regardless of your political or philosophical view about
the appropriateness of income inequality, unequal economic
rewards have important real world consequences. Wealthier
Americans can expect to live longer with fewer health problems.
The poor in America are much more likely to develop diabetes,
heart disease, and cancer at an earlier age and have fewer funds
to manage their care.
The divide also puts significant strains on the democratic
process as the interests of the rich and poor diverge along with
their incomes. Finally, the attitude that wealth is based solely
on personal efforts can promote a culture that is focused on
individuals rather than communities, which may lead to a
decline in civic engagement.
By studying cultural trends, Lycoming students gain a broader
respect for those who are unable to afford a college education
and to formulate possible solutions for reducing the wealth gap.
The United States prides itself as being the land of equal
opportunity. It is up to our students and the generations that
follow to determine whether the American dream is in jeopardy. 
HIGH
SCHOOL
GRADUATE
FEMALE
COLLEGE
GRADUATE
HIGHER
THAN
48%
HIGH
SCHOOL
GRADUATE
MALE
COLLEGE
GRADUATE
HIGHER
THAN
76%
2008
HIGH
SCHOOL
GRADUATE
FEMALE
COLLEGE
GRADUATE
HIGHER
THAN
73%
HIGH
SCHOOL
GRADUATE
1980
19.5%
2008
29.5%
23
P E R S P E C T I V E S