--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagine a political system so radical as…" description: "\"Imagine a political system so radical as to promise to move more of the poorest 20% of the population into the richest 20% than remain in the poorest b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/thomas-sowell-247_america_imagine-a-political-system-so-radical-as_2207670.jpg" --- # Imagine a political system so radical as to promise to… ![“Imagine a political system so radical as to promise to move more of the poorest 20% of the population into the richest 20% than remain in the poorest bracket within the decade? You don't need to imagine it. It's called the United States of America.” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/thomas-sowell-247_america_imagine-a-political-system-so-radical-as_2207670.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/thomas-sowell-247_america_imagine-a-political-system-so-radical-as_2207670.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/thomas-sowell-247_america_imagine-a-political-system-so-radical-as_2207670.jpg) > “Imagine a political system so radical as to promise to move more of the poorest 20% of the population into the richest 20% than remain in the poorest bracket within the decade? You don't need to imagine it. It's called the United States of America.” [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the U.S. for extreme wealth inequality, suggesting the poorest are being pushed into the richest tier, highlighting systemic disparity. **In simple terms:** U.S. wealth gap is extreme. Key Takeaway Recognize and address inequality. Themes economics inequality politics social justice policy Mood critical concerned Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - public debate - academic research Key Concepts wealth distribution social mobility economic policy class structure Questions to Reflect On - How does policy affect wealth mobility? - What reforms could reduce disparity? A Different Perspective The claim may overgeneralize complex economic dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-political-1607231/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-system/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Poorest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poorest/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Population Richest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population-richest-4875695/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Remain Poorest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remain-poorest-4875694/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [States America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-america/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [United states of america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states-of-america/) ## Related quotes > [The way people imagine their political leaders is, like it or not, an important factor in how they decide to vote and, indeed, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-webb/the-way-people-imagine-their-political-leaders-is-like-it-or-not-an/) [Robert Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-webb/) > [I wouldn't even say "Imagine" is political. I think it's…more just sort of declaration of humanity. I don't find his political songs to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-wouldn-t-even-say-imagine-is-political-i-think-it-s-more-just-sort/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [George Bush and his gang imagine they are being political geniuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/george-bush-and-his-gang-imagine-they-are-being-political-geniuses/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Imagine if the political elites in our country were forced to endure the same conditions at the airport as business travelers, families, senior citizens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/imagine-if-the-political-elites-in-our-country-were-forced-to-endure/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The first society in history whose leaders were neither Attilas nor Witch Doctors, a society led, dominated and created by the Producers, was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-first-society-in-history-whose-leaders-were-neither-attilas-nor/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [I'm glad I get to live in the United States of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-feld/i-m-glad-i-get-to-live-in-the-united-states-of-america/) [Brad Feld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-feld/) > [I have to tell you that the innovation and the technology and the entrepreneurship of the world still lies in the United States of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/i-have-to-tell-you-that-the-innovation-and-the-technology-and-the/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [This is the United States of America and it's always a busy time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-schmidt/this-is-the-united-states-of-america-and-it-s-always-a-busy-time/) [Jean Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-schmidt/) > [The most frustrated and most stymied it is the fact that the United States of America is the one advanced nation on earth in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-most-frustrated-and-most-stymied-it-is-the-fact-that-the-united/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“The United States of America is one of the most studied but least understood nations in the contemporary world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-singh/the-united-states-of-america-is-one-of-the-most-studied-but-least/) [Robert Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-singh/) > [As much as I love the Dallas Cowboys, I love the United States of America more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cain/as-much-as-i-love-the-dallas-cowboys-i-love-the-united-states-of/) [Will Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cain/) > [And the United States of America should have been at the front of that line. And was not. ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/and-the-united-states-of-america-should-have-been-at-the-front-of/) [Kimberley Strassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberley-strassel/) > [When the United States of America does things in its best interests, it is hated. I'm sorry, that just ticks me off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/when-the-united-states-of-america-does-things-in-its-best-interests/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The United States of America does not have friends; it has interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/the-united-states-of-america-does-not-have-friends-it-has-interests/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [There is an irreplaceable ally. It's called the United States of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/there-is-an-irreplaceable-ally-it-s-called-the-united-states-of/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) ## More by Thomas Sowell > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-you-have-always-believed-that-everyone-should-play-by-the-same/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“In 1962, Democratic President John F. Kennedy, like both Democratic and Republican Presidents and Secretaries of the Treasury in earlier years, pointed out that “it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/in-1962-democratic-president-john-f-kennedy-like-both-democratic-and/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Ideological bigotry has become the norm on even our most prestigious campuses, where students can go for years without reading or hearing anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/ideological-bigotry-has-become-the-norm-on-even-our-most-prestigious/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Bailing out people who made ill-advised mortgages makes no more sense that bailing out people who lost their life savings in Las Vegas casinos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/bailing-out-people-who-made-ill-advised-mortgages-makes-no-more-sense/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“One third of all Scots in the mid-nineteenth century moved from one county to another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/one-third-of-all-scots-in-the-mid-nineteenth-century-moved-from-one/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The difference is that we have the hardest and most painful evidence that there was a Holocaust. But, for the global warming scenario that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-difference-is-that-we-have-the-hardest-and-most-painful-evidence/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Just as price fluctuations allocate scarce resources which have alternative uses, price controls which limit those fluctuations reduce the incentives for individuals to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/just-as-price-fluctuations-allocate-scarce-resources-which-have/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The greatest danger to the liberal vision are facts about the consequences of liberalism itself and the laws, policies, and ways of life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-greatest-danger-to-the-liberal-vision-are-facts-about-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Having spent years ruining the housing markets with their interference, leading to a housing meltdown that has taken the whole economy down with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/having-spent-years-ruining-the-housing-markets-with-their/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Do all children have some inherent right to live in America if they have done nothing wrong? 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. 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