Inequality

 Robert Reich: The Real Reason The Economy Might Collapse

Where did the economic gains go? Mostly to the top. The wealthy now own more of the economy than at any time since the 1920s.

Here’s the economic problem: The wealthy spend only a small percentage of their income and wealth. Their spending is not enough to fulfill the consumer demand that keeps the economy churning.

Lower-income people, on the other hand, spend almost everything they have – which is becoming very little. Most workers aren’t earning nearly enough to buy what the economy is capable of producing. 

The result is a gap between potential output and potential consumption.

To fill the gap, the economy depends on people going deeper and deeper into debt so they can buy. Even in 2018, when the economy appeared strong, 40% of Americans had negative net incomes and were borrowing money to pay for basic household needs.