America pays workers just 27% of what its wealth allows – the worst in the OECD
A study by human rights scholars suggests that the United States is failing to adequately distribute its wealth to promote the general welfare of its citizens. The analysis compares U.S. economic performance against international human rights standards, noting a 25-year trend of underperformance.
Why it matters
This highlights the debate over economic inequality and the government's role in providing social services relative to its total GDP.
As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence , the global data we collect and analyze shows that the country is failing to “promote the general Welfare,” as the Constitution’s framers promised a little more than a decade later.
We are scholars of human rights . Alongside the Human Rights Measurement Initiative , a nonprofit that tracks how well more than 200 countries and territories are meeting the human rights commitments their governments have made, we annually update scores measuring whether people can actually get the basics of a decent life, such as healthcare, adequate food and a quality education.
The latest data our team has amassed shows that the U.S. is falling short compared with what it could achieve , given its US$32 trillion economy . This is not a one-year blip – the U.S. has been underperforming for the past 25 years.
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