The Vanishing Middle Class: Prejudice and Power in a Dual Economy by Peter Temin

The Vanishing Middle Class: Prejudice and Power in a Dual Economy

by Peter Temin

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Society & Culture

Peter Temin's argument is that the United States now runs as two economies, using a model W. Arthur Lewis built for developing countries. A finance, technology and electronics sector holds about the top 20%, a low-wage sector the other 80%, and race-based politics and campaign money hold that split in place.

Core ideas
  • The anomaly: The middle-class expansion of 1950 to 1970 was the exception, and today's inequality traces back to slavery and its aftermath.
  • Racecraft and money: Racial division wins support for policies that harm low-income people of every race, and outcomes follow campaign money, not the median voter.
  • Five remedies: Restore public education, replace mass incarceration with investment in human capital, repair infrastructure, forgive debt and embrace diversity.
Published2017
Pages234
ISBN9780262036160
ReadMar 2021

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