Confronting Inequality Response

Paul Krugman in “Confronting Inequality” tries to explain how bad inequality is and the things that can bring inequality up or down. He gives reasons of why he and Americans should care about the rising inequality. Krugman says, “One reason to care about inequality is the straight forward matter of living standards. The lack of clear economic progress for lower and middle income families is in itself an important reason to seek a more equal distribution of income” (322).

Krugman also uses many quotes from people who have had a big impact on America to help argue his point about inequality. Quote that stuck out on its own was the one Thomas Jefferson said, “The small landowners are the most precious part of a state” (323). This quote is stating that middle class is very important to a state. “High Inequality…Nation much weakened middle class, has a corrosive effect on social relations and politics…America has moved deeper into a new Gilded Age” (323).

Krugman says, “One of the best arguments I’ve ever seen for the social costs of inequality came from a movement conservative trying to argue the opposite” (323). He then quotes the conservative Kristol “We shouldn’t worry about income inequality, because whatever the numbers say, class distinctions are, in reality, all but gone” (323). Although he doesn’t agree with this quote he uses it to better show the controversy between your average liberals and conservatives in America on the rising inequality issue.

Krugman made a table about the Percentage of 1988 Eighth Graders Finishing College to show that most children who make higher scores tend to have higher class parents. He also states that “Students who scored bottom fourth…We call rich dumb kids…Who were more likely to finish college…Then students who scored top fourth couldn’t afford