EBK PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
EBK PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
7th Edition
ISBN: 8220102958395
Author: Mankiw
Publisher: CENGAGE L
Question
Book Icon
Chapter 20, Problem 1QR
To determine

The percentage of income earned by poor and rich in the US.

Expert Solution & Answer
Check Mark

Explanation of Solution

Poverty line is the line that determines the minimum income required to meet the basic requirements of a quality life by the people. The household with family income less than the poverty line is said to be poor, and those who earn very much above the poverty line are considered to be rich by the government. The income inequality represents the unequal distribution of income across various economic participants of the economy. When there is income inequality, the poor people of the economy will earn very less income, whereas the rich will earn very high level of income from the economy. When the income inequality is lower, the difference between the income earned by the poorest fifth and the richest fifth will be the minimum.

According to the available data about the US economy, the income distribution is very unequal. About the poorest one-fifth of the total population earns about 4 percent of the income of the economy, whereas the top one-fifth of the rich population earns about 50 percent of the US total economy income today according to the sources. This means that the richest fifth of the US economy earns more than 12 times higher than the poorest fifth of the economy.

Economics Concept Introduction

Concept introduction:

Income inequality: Income inequality represents the unequal distribution of household or individual income among various economic participants of the society.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!
Students have asked these similar questions
A linear programming computer package is needed. As part of the settlement for a class action lawsuit, Hoxworth Corporation must provide sufficient cash to make the following annual payments (in thousands of dollars). Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 Payment 170 195 220 265 295 440 The annual payments must be made at the beginning of each year. The judge will approve an amount that, along with earnings on its investment, will cover the annual payments. Investment of the funds will be limited to savings (at 4% annually) and government securities, at prices and rates currently quoted in The Wall Street Journal. Hoxworth wants to develop a plan for making the annual payments by investing in the following securities (par value = $1,000). Funds not invested in these securities will be placed in savings. Security Current Price Rate (%) Years to Maturity 1 $1,055 6.750 3 2 $1,000 5.125 4 Assume that interest is paid annually. The plan will be submitted to the judge and, if approved,…
On the 1st of April 2018, the South African National Treasury increase the value-added tax rate from 14% to 15%. This policy change had a wide-ranging impact on society. Discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of making use of this type of tax to generate government revenue and what we may expect in terms of its impact on inflation and GDP growth within the economy.   Please use some of the economics graphs to explain some scenarios
Eskom is South Africa’s monopoly power producer which the majority of South Africans depend on. Suppose there is extensive deregulation in the power industry. What is the impact of this deregulation on the industry? Help me on discussing the new market structure as well as the impact on supply and demand.     Use the relevant diagrams.
Knowledge Booster
Background pattern image
Similar questions
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Text book image
Principles of Microeconomics
Economics
ISBN:9781305156050
Author:N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Text book image
Micro Economics For Today
Economics
ISBN:9781337613064
Author:Tucker, Irvin B.
Publisher:Cengage,
Text book image
Economics For Today
Economics
ISBN:9781337613040
Author:Tucker
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Text book image
Survey Of Economics
Economics
ISBN:9781337111522
Author:Tucker, Irvin B.
Publisher:Cengage,
Text book image
Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:9781337617383
Author:Roger A. Arnold
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Text book image
Microeconomics
Economics
ISBN:9781337617406
Author:Roger A. Arnold
Publisher:Cengage Learning