TheDeathofMillions(Literally)

byJasperLin

Theyearis2015,andcurrentlytheeconomyisinacrisis.Thebubbleburstin2008,and
millionsofpeoplenationwideweremadebankrupt,losingtheirjobs,capital,andinvestments,
andmostofall,possiblytheopportunityfortheirkidstosucceed.Currentlythebestwaytoview
povertyistolookatitusingourcurrentwealthinequalitysituation.Beingabletodeterminethe
differentialbetweentherichandthepoorgap,betweentheprivilegedandthelessfortunateisa
goodwaytoseetheeconomyofournation,andthepovertyofournationatawholedifferent
level.
Eventoday,manypeopledontbelievethatthegapofinequalityisrising.Withraised
minimumwagesrecently,peoplethinktheinflationwilldrivethepricevalueofthedollar
straightdown,causingahugeproblemforfutureAmericanstryingtoexchangethecurrencyof
thedollarforanotherformofcurrency.However,withtheraisingminimumwage,theless
fortunatepeopleonlyaremakingaroundadollarincreaseanhour,whichonlybooststheiryearly
paybyaboutfivegrand.Whilemanycompanyownerscanseethisasahugeincreaseinpay,as
wellasawaythatthecompanywillloseprofit,topcompanyleadersandexecutiveshavepay
raisesinthehundredsandthousandsperhour.Forthoseathugemultinationalcompanies,those
payraisescanbemillionsofdollars.
However,thatdoesnotmeaneveryhumanhastobetreatedinthesameway.Itwouldbe
foolishiftheownerofthecompanyhadtheexactsamesayasthejanitorofthecompany,thus
resultinginaconflictingresolution.Havingthatbalanceofpower,wealth,anddistributionof
fundsallcomestogetherinordertocreateabeneficialsolutionwhenitcomestofightingpoverty
andwealthinequality,andbeingabletosolvebothproblemsatonce,wouldprovetobevery
additionativetotheAmericanGovernment.
However,thisbringsupanothertopic,EconomicJustice.WhatisEconomicJustice?
EconomicJusticeisthemoralguidelinesthatmostcompaniesfollowwhilebuildingtheir
company.Forexample,Walmarthasaveryprofitizedeconomicsenseofjustice.Thiswould
meantheirbusinessplanwritteninitself,istomakeasmuchmoneyaspossible,whilespending

theleastpossibleonproductsinordertomaximizeprofitsforthecompany,andfortheexecutive
staffmembers.
However,thiscausesconflictwiththeworkersoflowerlevelswhofighttohavetheir
wagesraised,andbecausetheirwageshavebeenbroughtdowntoaverylowminimum,their
paycannotsustaintheAmericanimageofthequalityoflifethatmostAmericansarestrivingto
grasp,andwiththisproblem,comestheproblemofourcurrenteconomicsituation.Many
executivesupatthetopbelievetheyareearningwhattheybelievehaveearned,andmanypeople
atthebottombelievetheyaresufferingbecausetheycannotmakeenoughmoneytosupporttheir
familyorthemselveswiththecurrenteconomicsituation.
Toaccompanythis,evenworkersandpoliticiansfromhundredsofyearsagotoour
nation'sfoundinghavebroughtupthisverysametopic.NathanielChipman,alieutenantinthe
RevolutionaryWar,whoeventuallywentontobeelectedastheU.S.SenatefromVermont
statedthatRichesarethefruitofindustryChipmanObserved,Honorthefruitofmerit.Both
ought,astotheircontinuance,andtheinfluencewhichattendsthem,tobelefttotheconductof
thepossessor....toexcludethemeritoriousfromrichesandhonors,andtoperpetuateeithertothe
undeserving,areequallyinjurioustotherightsofmaninsociety.Theworkingmanisjustas
deservingandabletoearnthesameamountofprofitsifheisworkingjustashard,andittakesa
hardwillandstrongmerittomakeitintheUnitedStates.Thisonlyprotectsthenaturalrightsof
theperson.Thisleavesouttheextremegripofequalitythatwasoncesuggestedtobe
implemented,asthatcreatesahugetyrannicalstrongholdontheAmericanizedeconomy.
Morallyandeconomically,wecanseehowthedifferenceshavebeencontradictedand
beendissected.Partoftheproblemnotonlylieswithinthepeopleitself,butthesystemitself.
Humansknowntogreed,arebeingaskedtocontrolthefundstoanextremelyprofitable
company.Humanssometimesthinkofthemoney,andtakeallormostofitforthemselves,
leavingalmostnothingfortheworkerswhohelpedmakeit,andthepeoplewhohelpedshipand
massproduceit,mainlybecauseselfgreedisaveryhumantrait.Weliketothinkallforone
insteadofoneforall,andthiscausesahugedownsidetotheworkofrunningprivatized
industries.Manyofthesebusinessownerswanttoreceivethemostoutoftheirprofitstolivea
lifeofluxury,whilemanyofthelowerwagedandbluecollarworkersaresufferingfromalack
ofadequatefunds.Thiscanstillbeseentoday,asthetop1%ofourU.S.economyshareholders,
currentlyownsathirdofournation'swealth.Thatinequalityisincomparablewithsomanyother
nationsthatitisalmostonthebrinkofextreme.

Messmore,Ryan."Justice,Inequality,andthePoorPublicationsNationalAffairs."
Justice,Inequality,
andthePoorPublicationsNationalAffairs
.NationalAffairs,Winter2010.Web.17Nov.2015.