--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hollowing out of the middle class is…" description: "\"The hollowing out of the middle class is a problem common to all Western industrialized economies. Maybe we should work together to solve it.\" — Chryst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/chrystia-freeland-5308_inequality_the-hollowing-out-of-the-middle-class-is_2388681.jpg" --- # The hollowing out of the middle class is a problem common… ![“The hollowing out of the middle class is a problem common to all Western industrialized economies. Maybe we should work together to solve it.” quote by Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/chrystia-freeland-5308_inequality_the-hollowing-out-of-the-middle-class-is_2388681.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/chrystia-freeland-5308_inequality_the-hollowing-out-of-the-middle-class-is_2388681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/chrystia-freeland-5308_inequality_the-hollowing-out-of-the-middle-class-is_2388681.jpg) > “The hollowing out of the middle class is a problem common to all Western industrialized economies. Maybe we should work together to solve it.” [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Middle‑class decline is widespread in Western economies; collective action is needed to address it. **In simple terms:** The middle class is shrinking everywhere. Key Takeaway Collaborate on policies to restore it. Themes economy middle class policy collaboration Mood urgent concerned Type political economic When to use this quote - government reform - community initiatives - public debate Key Concepts social equity economic stability Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can unite diverse groups? - How can we measure progress effectively? A Different Perspective Policy changes face political resistance and slow implementation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economies Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economies-maybe-5941559/) [Hollowing Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollowing-middle-1120571/) [Industrialized Economies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industrialized-economies-5941558/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) [Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Problem Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-common-607632/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-together/) ## Related quotes > [“the hollowing out of the middle class since the 1970s, a phenomenon interrupted only briefly in the 1990s, means that those families are unable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cay-johnston/the-hollowing-out-of-the-middle-class-since-the-1970s-a-phenomenon/) [David Cay Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cay-johnston/) > [We don't need to solve the problem of the rich-poor gap. We need to solve the problem of common prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zong-qinghou/we-don-t-need-to-solve-the-problem-of-the-rich-poor-gap-we-need-to/) [Zong Qinghou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zong-qinghou/) > [The problem with common sense is, it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-problem-with-common-sense-is-it-isn-t/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“The problem with common sense is that it makes too much sense!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-glassman-2/the-problem-with-common-sense-is-that-it-makes-too-much-sense/) [Charles F Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-glassman-2/) > [The problem with the common person is that he is so unbearably common!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-problem-with-the-common-person-is-that-he-is-so-unbearably-common/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [We dont need to solve the problem of the rich-poor gap. We need to solve the problem of common prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zong-qinghou/we-dont-need-to-solve-the-problem-of-the-rich-poor-gap-we-need-to/) [Zong Qinghou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zong-qinghou/) > [“This may sound somewhat obvious but, as the French philosopher Voltaire once famously pointed out, the main problem with common sense is that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wiseman/this-may-sound-somewhat-obvious-but-as-the-french-philosopher/) [Richard Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wiseman/) > [“Americans were happy to celebrate their super-rich and, at least sometimes, worry about their poor. But putting those two conversations together and talking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/americans-were-happy-to-celebrate-their-super-rich-and-at-least/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Talking about income inequality, even if you're not on the Forbes 400 list, can make us feel uncomfortable. It feels less positive, less optimistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/talking-about-income-inequality-even-if-you-re-not-on-the-forbes-400/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“There are two kinds of people: goal-oriented and ego-oriented. Goal-oriented people work together and get things gone. Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) > [If you take text and image and you put them together, the multiple readings that are possible in either poetry or in something visual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hell/if-you-take-text-and-image-and-you-put-them-together-the-multiple/) [Richard Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hell/) > [Politicians try to see the world through other people's lenses and try to bring people together so that we can have a mutual view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/politicians-try-to-see-the-world-through-other-people-s-lenses-and/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## More by Chrystia Freeland > [We recognize that NAFTA is a three-country agreement, and we need a three-country negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/we-recognize-that-nafta-is-a-three-country-agreement-and-we-need-a/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [In a globalized economy, jobs no longer need a passport, but workers do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/in-a-globalized-economy-jobs-no-longer-need-a-passport-but-workers-do/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [When you think of technological revolution, you probably think of geeks in cool coastal spaces like the Google campus, or perhaps of math wizards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/when-you-think-of-technological-revolution-you-probably-think-of/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [It was surprising to me to hear a member question whether another member of the House was an adult. We're all adults in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/it-was-surprising-to-me-to-hear-a-member-question-whether-another/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Especially among journalists, politics is not a pursuit that's held in high esteem. We tend to be cynical about it - but I actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/especially-among-journalists-politics-is-not-a-pursuit-that-s-held-in/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Talking about income inequality, even if you're not on the Forbes 400 list, can make us feel uncomfortable. It feels less positive, less optimistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/talking-about-income-inequality-even-if-you-re-not-on-the-forbes-400/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [The chief job of foreign policy today is helping to figure out the rules for the global economy and defending each nation's interests within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/the-chief-job-of-foreign-policy-today-is-helping-to-figure-out-the/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [I love the Internet. I love my mobile devices. I love the fact that they mean that whoever chooses to will be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/i-love-the-internet-i-love-my-mobile-devices-i-love-the-fact-that/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [TED is certainly a gathering of an incredibly eclectic, incredibly interesting community, but it's also an elite community - at least an important portion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/ted-is-certainly-a-gathering-of-an-incredibly-eclectic-incredibly/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Motherhood may be a 'killer' when it comes to becoming a Master of the Universe, but among middle-class mothers, even after that touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/motherhood-may-be-a-killer-when-it-comes-to-becoming-a-master-of-the/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [A thing that really troubles me about a more polarized society is that you stop having a sense of society and citizenship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/a-thing-that-really-troubles-me-about-a-more-polarized-society-is/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Western investment is usually assumed to walk hand-in-hand with the democratic values of its home countries, and indeed, opening an economy to outside money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/western-investment-is-usually-assumed-to-walk-hand-in-hand-with-the/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [Twitter-lutionaries are good at toppling regimes, but in the Mideast and North Africa, they're losing out to the Islamists, who've built protest movements the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/twitter-lutionaries-are-good-at-toppling-regimes-but-in-the-mideast/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [I am a very strong supporter of our government's view that it is important to engage with all countries around the world - very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/i-am-a-very-strong-supporter-of-our-government-s-view-that-it-is/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [The high-tech, globalized capitalism of the 21st century is very different from the postwar version of capitalism that performed so magnificently for the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/the-high-tech-globalized-capitalism-of-the-21st-century-is-very/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) [Explore all 102 Chrystia Freeland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) ## More Inequality quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [Inequality is pervasive but invisible. It's hard to see. You need a sort of tool to make it visible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hito-steyerl/inequality-is-pervasive-but-invisible-it-s-hard-to-see-you-need-a/) [Hito Steyerl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hito-steyerl/) > [It clearly follows that to make men moral it is necessary to make their social environment moral. And that can be done in only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/it-clearly-follows-that-to-make-men-moral-it-is-necessary-to-make/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [Income inequality isn't sexy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-c-pelosi/income-inequality-isn-t-sexy/) [Alexandra C. Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-c-pelosi/) > [Yeah, maybe that's the way to solve the gender inequality that's naturally in relationships: to have a lot more power in the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-song/yeah-maybe-that-s-the-way-to-solve-the-gender-inequality-that-s/) [Celine Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-song/) > [“In no country does the average income give the right picture of how people live but in a country with higher inequality it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/in-no-country-does-the-average-income-give-the-right-picture-of-how/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I made an effort to ensure social safeguards. But our economy has to grow - and Chile, with a population of 17 million, cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-bachelet/i-made-an-effort-to-ensure-social-safeguards-but-our-economy-has-to/) [Michelle Bachelet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-bachelet/) > [I don't know another way to try to deal with income inequality than actually having entrepreneurs and inventors creating the kind of jobs that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/i-don-t-know-another-way-to-try-to-deal-with-income-inequality-than/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [Unequal distribution of income is an excessively uneconomic method of getting the necessary saving done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/unequal-distribution-of-income-is-an-excessively-uneconomic-method-of/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-don-t-see-much-future-for-the-americans-it-s-a-decayed-country-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-person-who-having-enclosed-a-plot-of-land-took-it-into-his/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The more I've been able to learn about gay rights and equal pay and gender equity and racial inequality, the more that it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/the-more-i-ve-been-able-to-learn-about-gay-rights-and-equal-pay-and/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-inequality-but-not-as-property-is-property-is/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) [Browse all 1,442 Inequality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The hollowing out of the middle class is a problem common to all Western industrialized economies. 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