JUNE 7TH READING

Melvin and Shapiro: ‘Black Wealth, white wealth: a new perspective on racial inequality’ Pg 67-125

Chapter 4 discusses the issues of financial distribution in American society. It is largely unequal in that the upper classes hold huge portions of the overall incomes and lower classes have few opportunities of social mobility. My question is why is society structured in a way that leaves so many at a financial disadvantage? And if it is, is it the only way for American society to function successfully. I disagree with the notion that wealth must be redistributed to prevent the eventual destruction and redistribution of wealth in America. I believe that the American cultural phenomenon of forever striving towards ‘attaining the unattainable’ solidifies and enforces the current distribution of wealth and upward mobility. There are people who eventually are granted the opportunity to live the American Dream and experience the journey of going from ‘Rags to Riches’ but it is very few and in many instances happens under certain circumstances (i.e. Reality television, professional sports, the lottery etc.). In contrast to my belief of the inevitable continuing of the unequal distribution of wealth, I believe that the unequal opportunities and limited resources that largely affect people of color are issues in American society that are detrimental and will eventually shift due to the rise of professionals and educators who advocate for the underrepresented. Below the clip of the distribution of American wealth I have attached a short video that supports the previous statement.

Attached below is a short clip (Titled-who owns America’s wealth?) of an example of the unequal distribution of wealth in the United States:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VHNXTBwj80&feature=related

Social inequality holds back economies and societies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MDbCHlS5V8