Poverty Quote by Rutger Bregman
““A person living at the poverty line in the U.S. belongs to the richest 14% of the world population; someone earning a median wage belongs to the richest 4%.27””
About This Quote
Source Book: Poverty, by Rutger Bregman, 2018
Wealth is relative; even modest U.S. incomes rank high globally, highlighting global inequality.
In simple terms: U.S. incomes are high compared to most of the world.
Key Takeaway
Recognize global perspective on wealth.
Themes
inequality
wealth
global perspective
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
informative
educational
When to use this quote
- policy discussions
- education
- personal finance
- philanthropy
- global travel
Key Concepts
relative wealth
economic disparity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this perspective change your view of wealth?
- What responsibilities arise from relative affluence?
A Different Perspective
Numbers can oversimplify lived experience.
![“It was a very economically depressed time [the 80s] and because of that, there was a lot of space. Everything was relatively dilapidated, and one could live on a pretty low income. One could live well below the poverty line and not suffer immensely.” quote by Kiki Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f7/kiki-smith-10643_80s_it-was-a-very-economically-depressed-tim_26978.jpg)
![“According to the 2003 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 25.8 percent of [New Orleans] population lives below the poverty line... This is more than twice the national average, but is close tot he percentages in other American cities such as Miami (28.5), Los Angeles (22.1), Atlanta (24.4), and New…” quote by Billy Sothern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/049/billy-sothern-63096_los-angeles_according-to-the-2003-data-from-the-u-s_74978.jpg)
