ABSTRACT
Inequality is not fated by nature, nor even by the "invisible hand" of the market; it is a social construction, a result of our historical acts. To answer the question of what explains inequality in America, we must divide it in two. First, who gets ahead and who falls behind in the competition for success? Second, what determines how much people get for being ahead or behind? To see more clearly that the two questions are different, think of a ladder that represents the ranking of affluence in a society. In significant measure, societies choose the height and breadth of their "ladders." Claiming that intentional policies have significantly constructed the inequalities people have and that other policies could change those inequalities may seem a novel idea in the current ideological climate. So many voices tell people that inequality is the result of individuals' "natural" talents in a "natural" market.
