Thirty years Quote by Thomas Piketty
““if we consider the total growth of the US economy in the thirty years prior to the crisis, that is, from 1977 to 2007, we find that the richest 10 percent appropriated three-quarters of the growth. The richest 1 percent alone absorbed nearly 60 percent of the total increase of US national income in this period. Hence for the bottom 90 percent, the rate of income growth was less than 0.5 percent per year.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Capital in the Twenty-First Century, 2013
Wealth concentration grew dramatically, with the top 1% capturing most income gains, leaving the majority with negligible growth.
In simple terms: Rich get richer, most see little income rise.
Key Takeaway
Address inequality through policy and redistribution.
Themes
inequality
wealth concentration
economic policy
Mood
concerned
critical
Type
analytical
policy‑oriented
When to use this quote
- tax reform
- living‑wage advocacy
- public investment
- education funding
Key Concepts
capitalism
distributional economics
social justice
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance growth and fairness?
- What policies most effectively curb extreme wealth gaps?
A Different Perspective
Redistribution alone may not solve structural issues.
![“[When her daughter suggested the President refer in his conversation with foreign dignitaries about lawn care to 'fertilizer' instead of to 'manure':] But remember, it took me almost thirty years to get him to call it manure.” quote by Bess Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4fe/bess-truman-27530_care_when-her-daughter-suggested-the-presiden_25215.jpg)
